Super Eagles preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON qualifiers have suffered another setback following an injury to striker Paul Onuachu, with Victor Osimhen already sidelined.
The development is a concern for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, who is preparing his squad for the start of Nigeria’s qualifying campaign later this month.
Onuachu picked up the injury in Trabzonspor’s 5-0 win over Gençlerbirliği in the Turkish Süper Lig on Sunday, despite making a strong start to the game.
The 32-year-old striker scored twice within the opening 22 minutes to help Trabzonspor take control of the match and end a 10-game goal drought.
He could have completed a first-half hat-trick but allowed Mohamed Salah to take a penalty won by Trabzonspor in the 12th minute, with the Egyptian converting from the spot.
However, Onuachu’s impressive outing was cut short when he was substituted in the 44th minute after appearing to suffer a muscle injury.
Trabzonspor went on to complete the 5-0 victory through Ernest Muçi and substitute Franculino Djú, but the result was overshadowed by concerns over Onuachu’s condition.
The Turkish club is yet to confirm the severity of the injury or provide a recovery timeline. The striker is expected to undergo further assessment to determine how long he will remain sidelined.
The timing of the injury is particularly unfortunate for Nigeria, with Osimhen already expected to miss around three weeks after Galatasaray confirmed that the 27-year-old suffered a muscle strain.
Chelle could therefore be without two experienced attacking options when the Super Eagles begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
While Osimhen remains Nigeria’s leading attacking threat, Onuachu could have offered Chelle another
option in attack, particularly with his aerial ability and physical presence.
His two-goal performance against Gençlerbirliği also appeared to signal a return to form after a difficult spell in front of goal.
However, that resurgence could now be interrupted by injury.
Chelle is already dealing with several fitness concerns, with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Sadiq Umar, Tochukwu Nnadi and Zaidu Sanusi among the other Super Eagles players who have recently picked up injuries.
The coach, however, has several alternatives available in attack. Cyriel Dessers, Tolu Arokodare, Kelechi Iheanacho and Rafiu Durosinmi have all started the season positively and could come into contention if Osimhen and Onuachu are ruled out.
Nigeria are scheduled to begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign against Madagascar on 25 September before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau four days later.
The Super Eagles are in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania, who are co-hosts of the 2027 tournament and therefore have automatic qualification.
With only the highest-ranked team apart from automatically qualified Tanzania expected to progress from the group, Nigeria will be under pressure to collect maximum points from their opening matches.
For Chelle, the priority will now be monitoring the fitness of his injured players and hoping for positive updates before the qualifiers.
The possible absence of both Osimhen and Onuachu would leave the Super Eagles with reduced attacking depth as they begin their bid to qualify for the 2027 AFCON.
Vanguard News
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