Victor Osimhen, the Galatasaray striker, is battling against the clock to recover in time for Nigeria‘s pivotal World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and injury-blow-for-super-eagles-star-as-roma-edge-lazio-in-fiery-derby/” title=”Worry for …? … blow for … star as Roma edge Lazio in fiery derby”>Benin Republic, according to Soccernet.ng.
The Super Eagles forward, who secured a free transfer to Galatasaray this summer, missed full training on Thursday as the Turkish champions intensified their preparations ahead of the high-stakes derby against Beşiktaş.
Reports from Fanatik reveal that Osimhen trained separately from the main squad, casting uncertainty over his participation for both his club and the national team.
The 26-year-old’s start to the season in Istanbul has been hampered by injury setbacks.
He suffered an injury during Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Rwanda in September, which ruled him out of the subsequent 1-1 draw with South Africa. His rehabilitation has taken longer than initially anticipated.
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Despite showing glimpses of his quality, including scoring a crucial penalty in Galatasaray’s narrow 1-0 win over Liverpool recently, Osimhen has yet to regain his full competitive edge.
Nigeria’s coaching team is closely monitoring his condition, with head coach Eric Chelle yet to announce the squad for the upcoming qualifiers, as the clock ticks down.
Currently, the Super Eagles are positioned third in Group C, trailing leaders South Africa and Benin by three points. With only the group winner securing direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup, dropping points against Lesotho on October 10 and Benin on October 14 could severely jeopardize Nigeria’s campaign.
Osimhen has featured in five matches for Galatasaray this season, netting three goals, but his impact transcends mere statistics.
The former Napoli star remains the linchpin of Nigeria’s offensive strategy, whose strength, speed, and clinical finishing have been instrumental in tight matches. His absence could leave the Super Eagles struggling to find the back of the net.
Meanwhile, Galatasaray are eager to have Osimhen available for their upcoming showdown with Beşiktaş, a fixture that could influence the early stages of the Süper Lig title race. Coach Okan Buruk has been cautious, withholding confirmation on whether Osimhen will feature.
For now, Nigeria can only hope that Osimhen recovers fully in time, as the Super Eagles’ aspirations for World Cup qualification may hinge on his fitness.