Nigeria's hopes for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers have hit a significant snag. Star striker Victor Osimhen is already out with a muscle strain, and now Paul Onuachu has joined him on the injury list, forcing coach Eric Chelle to rethink his forward line.
Onuachu's injury came at a particularly frustrating time. The 32-year-old had just ended a 10-game goal drought in spectacular fashion, scoring twice in the first 22 minutes for his club, Trabzonspor, in their 5-0 thrashing of Gençlerbirliği in the Turkish Süper Lig on Sunday. He even allowed teammate Mohamed Salah to take a penalty, which the Egyptian converted, showing good sportsmanship.
But the joy was short-lived. In the 44th minute, Onuachu appeared to pull a muscle and had to be substituted. Trabzonspor managed to complete the rout without him, but the club isn't confirming the severity of his injury or a return date. He's expected to be out for a few weeks.
This setback comes just as Trabzonspor signed Portuguese forward Franculino Djú from Midtjylland. Djú, Onuachu's direct competitor for a starting spot, might now get his chance to impress. If Djú performs well, Onuachu could find it tough to reclaim his place in the team even after recovering.
For the Super Eagles, this is a massive headache. Osimhen, Nigeria's main attacking threat at 27 years old, is expected to be out for about three weeks after Galatasaray confirmed his muscle strain. Chelle might have to face the crucial September international window without both experienced forwards.
Osimhen's absence is the bigger concern. Onuachu, a former Southampton and Genk striker, could have offered a different tactical option. He hasn't always been the first choice to replace Osimhen, but his recent two-goal performance showed signs of him finding his scoring form again, which Nigeria could have used.
Chelle is already dealing with a growing list of injured players. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Sadiq Umar, Tochukwu Nnadi, and Zaidu Sanusi have also picked up knocks recently. This stretches the squad's depth.
However, it isn't all doom and gloom for the Super Eagles coach. There are definitely other strong attackers ready to step up. Cyriel Dessers, Tolu Arokodare, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Rafiu Durosinmi have all started the season well. This gives Chelle several solid alternatives if Osimhen and Onuachu are unavailable.
Nigeria's 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign kicks off on September 25th against Madagascar. They'll play Guinea-Bissau four days later. These early games are critical. Nigeria is in Group L with Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and co-hosts Tanzania. Only the top team (besides Tanzania) will advance. Nigeria can't afford to start with a stumble, making the fitness of their key strikers incredibly important.
Chelle's main job now will be to get his attackers back to full fitness as fast as possible. Losing both Osimhen and Onuachu at this vital stage could seriously impact Nigeria's chances of qualifying for the next AFCON tournament.