Osimhen Back As Super Eagles Wrap Up AFCON Qualifiers

By: Gyang Dakwo

Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen is back in the Nigeria squad after missing last month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Libya.

The Super Eagles striker, who is now fully recovered from the injury which kept him out of the last round of matches, is part of the 23-man squad to face Benin and Rwanda in the last two rounds of qualifying for the 2025 tournament.

The Super Eagles will take on the Cheetahs of Benin Republic at the Stade Felix-Houphouet-Boigny on November 14, before traveling home to Uyo for the final qualifying game against the Rwanda’s Amavubi at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on November 18.

Also in the squad is Ballon d’Or nominee Ademola Lookman, who is also favoured to succeed Osimhen to win the CAF men’s African Player of the Year award.

Having been awarded the points and three goals by the CAF Disciplinary Committee from their unsuccessful but eventful trip to Libya for their matchday four fixture, the Super Eagles sit comfortably atop qualifying Group D with 10 points. That means they only need one point from these last two games to guarantee their place in Morocco.

Osimhen, Lookman, Moses Simon and Victor Boniface present a loaded forward line as usual, while Fulham’s Alex Iwobi anchors a midfield that includes Wilfred Ndidi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika.

With this being the last fixtures for the year, and FIFA World Cup qualifying resuming in the first quarter of 2025, these games are extra opportunities to build chemistry between the players.