Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has explained why Victor Osimhen, Alhassan Yusuf and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru will miss Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying clash against Madagascar.
The three players are unavailable due to injuries as Nigeria prepares for its opening Group L fixture at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Despite the absences, Chelle has insisted that Nigeria has enough options to approach the match with confidence.
Chelle Addresses The Three Absences
Chelle confirmed the unavailability of Osimhen, Yusuf and Dele-Bashiru while speaking to reporters on Thursday evening.
The coach acknowledged that Nigeria has several injured players but said their absence would not create a problem for the Super Eagles ahead of the Madagascar encounter.
“We have a lot of injured players. Victor Osimhen, Alhassan Yusuf and Dele-Bashiru, but it’s not a problem for us,” Chelle said.
The three players will therefore miss today’s Group L encounter as Nigeria begins its campaign to qualify for the 2027 AFCON.
Chelle Expects A Difficult Test Against Madagascar
While playing down the impact of the injuries, Chelle expects Nigeria to face a difficult opponent.
The coach pointed to Madagascar’s previous meeting with Nigeria at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, when the Barea defeated the Super Eagles 2-0.
“We are ready; it will be difficult because Madagascar is a big team. It will be a fight; they defeated Nigeria in 2019,” he added.
The reference to that previous result underlines Chelle’s expectation that Nigeria will need to approach the qualifier seriously despite playing on home soil.
Nigeria’s Options Without Osimhen
With Osimhen unavailable, Chelle has other attacking options at his disposal for the Madagascar fixture.
They include Tolu Arokodare, Akor Adams and George Ilenikhena.
The supplied report identifies the three players as available attacking options, but it does not establish which of them will start against Madagascar.
As a result, the final attacking selection remains a decision for Chelle and his coaching staff.
Chelle Wants Nigeria To Start Strong
Nigeria’s opening Group L qualifier is scheduled for 5pm on September 25 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Chelle has stressed the importance of collecting maximum points from the opening fixture as the Super Eagles begin their qualification campaign.
He called on his players to demonstrate their determination from the first day of the campaign.
“We have to show everyone from Day One that we want it, and the only way to do that is to go for it with our hearts, and refuse to slow down at any point. We must go for the points without any hesitation,” he said.
The statement reflects the coach’s emphasis on starting the qualifying campaign strongly despite the absence of some members of his squad.
Nigeria’s Group L Challenge
Nigeria is in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania.
According to the supplied report, Tanzania has automatic qualification as one of the tournament’s co-hosts.
After the Madagascar encounter, Nigeria is scheduled to travel to Bissau next Tuesday to face Guinea-Bissau in its second qualifying fixture.
That means the Super Eagles face two early tests as Chelle begins his team’s push for a place at the 2027 tournament.
The Bigger Question For Chelle
The immediate challenge for the Super Eagles is how the team responds without three players who are unavailable through injury.
Chelle has already made his position clear: he does not regard their absence as a problem.
The available attacking options give the coach alternatives, while his comments suggest that the priority is to maintain Nigeria’s focus on securing the points against Madagascar.
The supplied report does not provide enough information to determine how Chelle will adjust his formation or starting XI, so those decisions remain with the coach.
Who Should Lead Nigeria’s Attack?
With Victor Osimhen unavailable, Tolu Arokodare, Akor Adams and George Ilenikhena are among the attacking options identified for the Madagascar clash.
Who should lead the Super Eagles’ attack against Madagascar in Osimhen’s absence?
What Comes Next
Nigeria will begin its 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo before travelling to Guinea-Bissau for the next fixture.
Chelle has acknowledged the injury absences but has maintained that Nigeria is ready for the challenge.
The immediate task for the Super Eagles is therefore clear: start the qualifying campaign strongly and compete for the maximum points Chelle has demanded.
