AFCON 2023: Nigeria relies heavily on Osimhen despite his injury burden

Victor Osimhen, the African footballer of the year, has always been Nigeria’s main hope in the Cup of Nations. However, with the unfortunate withdrawal of fellow goal-scorer Victor Boniface due to injury, the pressure on Osimhen’s shoulders has increased even more.

The Super Eagles will kick off their AFCON campaign against Equatorial Guinea in Ivory Coast, followed by matches against the hosts and Guinea-Bissau in Group A. Nigeria is aiming to win their fourth Cup of Nations title, which would put them on par with their rivals Ghana. Osimhen, who won the African player of the year award, had an outstanding season with Napoli, scoring 26 goals and helping his team secure the Serie A title.

Although he has struggled to replicate that form this season, only netting eight goals, he remains a highly sought-after forward in world football. Osimhen is determined to make his mark in this tournament, having missed out on previous editions due to injury and illness.

His partnership with Boniface, who had an impressive goal-scoring record for Bayer Leverkusen, could have been a game-changer, but unfortunately, Boniface will not be able to participate due to a groin injury. Both players share the dream of representing their country and winning a trophy for Nigeria.

It is a significant setback for a player who has previously endured two serious knee ligament injuries in his career to withdraw so close to the kick-off. Terem Moffi has taken his place in the squad, highlighting the depth of Nigeria’s attacking options.

Super Eagles legend Jay-Jay Okocha emphasized the desire of every Nigerian child to become a goalscorer and gain recognition. The fans’ forgiving nature towards strikers who miss chances compared to defenders who score own goals might also play a role.

Coach Jose Peseiro can rely on the talents of Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, and Ademola Lookman, as well as the expected fitness of Kelechi Iheanacho. However, Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi has already been ruled out, and Umar Sadiq’s injury in the final warm-up friendly led to a late call-up for Paul Onuachu.

With the absence of Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, Peseiro is counting on Victor Osimhen to provide the much-needed goals. Despite Nigeria’s attacking style of play, Peseiro acknowledges the need to be cautious of their group-stage opponents, including Guinea-Bissau, who defeated them in qualifying.

The landscape of African football has changed, and there are no longer any minnows in the competition.