By Teddy Nwanunobi
Coach Éric Chelle’s list of 24 Super Eagles players ahead of Nigeria’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign against Madagascar and Guinea Bissau later this month has been hit by a major blow.
Nigeria will host Madagascar in the first match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on September 25 before travelling to Bissau to take on the Wild Dogs of Guinea-Bissau four days later.
Chelle had invited many of the regular faces, including: Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, and Calvin Bassey for the fixtures as Olaoluwa Aina and Benjamin Fredricks return to the team after missing recent matches due to injuries.
Likewise, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is back with the team following a brief absence due to lack of action at club level.
Additionally, there are also new faces in the team with the addition of winger Moses Usor and forward George Ilhenikina, who was at a point on the radar of the France national team.
Meanwhile, the coach also released another 24-man list consisting of mostly fresh players and a few from the AFCON qualifiers squad for Nigeria’s friendly match against The Boy of Russia on October 6.
Some of the invited players include goalkeeper Michael Atata of Ikorodu United, Stephen Michael, Peter Edokpolor amongst others. Kelechi Iheanacho also earned an invitation after a recent resurgence at club level.
Considering the younger profile of several players in the squad, the friendly match could serve as a useful preparation for Nigeria’s wider U-23 project ahead of the 2027 U-23 AFCON qualifiers starting in November.
But the timing is particularly frustrating for Nigeria because Osimhen had started the season in impressive form for Galatasaray.
Before sustaining the injury, he had scored six goals and provided two assists in his first four league appearances for the Turkish champions, making his availability particularly important to Chelle.
His absence now leaves Chelle with Tolu Arokodare and Akor Adams as the main recognised centre-forward options in the squad, while the coach also has Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon available for the attack.