Super Eagles: Another injury blow for Eric Chelle as ex-Genk star suffers hamstring tear

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle faces serious selection headaches after one of his players suffered another injury setback ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Soccernet.ng reports.

Yira Sor has been ruled out for six weeks with a hamstring injury. The 26-year-old winger picked up the injury during Amedspor’s 2-1 comeback victory over Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday.

Sor produced a positive performance before being forced off, scoring Amedspor’s equaliser before Gift Orban completed the comeback against Trabzonspor.

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However, medical examinations have now confirmed the seriousness of the injury, with Amedspor revealing that an MRI scan showed a Grade 2B muscle injury measuring approximately 11 centimetres in Sor’s left biceps femoris.

The club confirmed that his treatment and rehabilitation is expected to take around six weeks, ruling him out of Nigeria’s opening 2027 AFCON qualifying fixtures this month.

Sor injury comes at a difficult time for Chelle

Sor’s injury is particularly frustrating for Chelle because the winger was beginning to establish himself in the Super Eagles setup after receiving his first senior international call-up earlier this year.

The former Genk attacker made his Nigeria debut in March during the 2-2 friendly draw against Jordan, starting on the right side of the attack.

Sor subsequently completed a €3 million move from Genk to newly promoted Amedspor this summer after struggling for consistency during his spell in Belgium.

He had already featured in Amedspor’s opening games of the new campaign before the injury, making his Super Lig debut in the 3-0 win over Erzurumspor and playing in the defeat to Kocaelispor.

His performance against Trabzonspor appeared to signal that he was beginning to settle into his new surroundings, only for the hamstring problem to interrupt his progress.

For Nigeria, the timing could hardly be worse. The Super Eagles will open their Group L campaign against Madagascar in Uyo on September 23 before travelling to Morocco four days later to face Guinea-Bissau on September 27.

Sor will miss both games, meaning Chelle must now find another option to provide attacking pace and depth during the first international window of the AFCON qualifying campaign.

Super Eagles stars already injured

Sor’s injury adds to an uncomfortable fitness situation for Chelle. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was ruled out for at least three weeks after suffering a right thigh injury during Lazio’s Serie A opener against Bologna. The midfielder was withdrawn after 54 minutes, with tests revealing a first- or second-degree tear.

While Dele-Bashiru could potentially recover in time for Nigeria’s September fixtures, his availability remains dependent on the speed of his rehabilitation.

Semi Ajayi is another major concern. The experienced defender suffered a hamstring problem during Hull City’s Premier League victory over Manchester United after scoring the opening goal.

He was substituted in the 64th minute, with Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic confirming that the Nigerian was complaining about his hamstring.

🗓️Back in action this month! pic.twitter.com/ELJdSeXDql

— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) September 1, 2026

Ajayi’s importance to Chelle makes his situation particularly significant. The 32-year-old has been one of Nigeria’s most dependable options in defence, and his experience could be crucial as the Super Eagles begin another qualifying campaign.

The former Arsenal defender played all 90 minutes against Coventry City last weekend, but his fitness is worth keeping an eye on.

There is also uncertainty surrounding Zaidu Sanusi after the Porto left-back suffered an injury in the Portuguese champions’ 3-0 victory over Academico de Viseu.

Sanusi was forced off in the 18th minute, and Porto coach Francesco Farioli admitted afterwards that the injury looked serious, with further tests required to establish the full extent of the problem.

More pressure on Nigeria’s squad depth

The accumulation of injuries means Chelle could enter the September window without several players who have featured prominently in his plans.

That is important, considering the demanding schedule. Nigeria have only four days between their home meeting with Madagascar and the trip to face Guinea-Bissau, leaving little room for recovery or experimentation.

For now, Chelle will have to wait and see how his other injured players progress while considering alternatives before the squad is assembled.