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Nigeria will be without star striker Victor Osimhen for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as he continues to battle a groin injury.
Recall we earlier reported how injury kept Osimhen and his teammate Lamine out of Galatasaray's match at the weekend.
According to The Cable Super Eagles media officer, Promise Efoghe, announced the setback on Sunday morning. He said the 27-year-old forward has not healed enough to join the team for the international break.
Coach Eric Chelle had first named Osimhen in his squad, hoping the striker would recover quickly. Both Galatasaray and the Super Eagles technical crew expected him to be fit for the league game against Trabzonspor and then for national duty.
That did not happen. When Osimhen was left out of Galatasaray's squad on Saturday, it confirmed what the Turkish club had already told the Super Eagles in a letter - that he is still undergoing treatment.
Efoghe said the recovery has taken longer than planned.
"Victor Osimhen's recovery from a muscle strain has been slower than expected," he stated.
Osimhen has not played since September 5, when he limped off just 33 minutes into Galatasaray's victory over Istanbul Basaksehir. He left the pitch holding his inner thigh.
Galatasaray later revealed that he sustained a serious strain with bleeding in his right adductor muscle around the groin.
Without him, Nigeria will face Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on September 25, then travel to meet Guinea-Bissau four days later. The team will also play Russia in a friendly on October 6.
