Victor Osimhen injury: Nigeria confirms latest ahead of Africa Cup of Nations semi-final versus South Africa.
In a tournament that has seen a lot of great names succumb to unexpected defeats, the Super Eagles are now favourites to win the trophy ahead of their last-four meeting on Wednesday.
However, when the Nigeria squad flew to Bouake on Monday, Osimhen stayed in the capital Abidjan with a member of the medical staff, and it is unclear whether he would be able to join his teammates for the AFCON match against South Africa.
A Super Eagles statement on Monday read: “Members of the team traveled from Abidjan to Bouaké today via a 10 p.m. Air Cote D’Ivoire flight.”
“Osimhen, however, did not make the journey due to gastrointestinal problems. Team physicians verified that he has been placed under careful observation, with a member of the medical team remaining in Abidjan with him.
If cleared by tomorrow morning, he will rejoin the rest of the squad before 5 p.m.
On Tuesday, he was cleared to rejoin the squad, but the exact severity of his ailment is unknown.
Osimhen was stretchered off in stoppage time of Napoli’s 1-0 quarter-final victory over Angola.
The 25-year-old has appeared in all five of Nigeria’s tournament matches, but he has not scored since equalizing against Equatorial Guinea in the first round.
The Super Eagles are aiming to win AFCON for the fourth time, having failed to reach the final since their last victory in 2013. Nigeria has failed to qualify for two of the four subsequent tournaments, and Tunisia defeated them in the last 16 two years ago.
