By Michael Madyira
Injuries continue to ravage Nigeria ahead of their opening Africa Cup of Nations match against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.
Real Sociedad forward Umar Sadiq has become the latest casualty in a squad already grappling with losing key players due to fitness issues.
Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca has also painted a gloomy picture of striker Kelechi Ihenacho.
Earlier in the week, the Super Eagles lost Bayer Leverkusen attacker Victor Boniface and was replaced by OCG Nice’s Terem Moffi.
These injury setbacks come after coach Jose Peseiro was already forced to plan without Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi and midfielder Wilfred Ndidi.
The worsening fitness situation threatens to derail Nigeria’s Afcon ambitions but captain Ahmed Musa is trying to wear a brave face.
“We know that we have good players here,” Musa told ESPN.
“Nobody is happy to see injuries, but we came here to win the Cup and we have not changed.”
“It is important for us to start well, so everybody who is here will do our best to win this match on Sunday.”
Sadiq has since been replaced by Trabzonspor striker Paul Onuachu.
Peseiro will now have to find a man who will step in for Iheanacho before Sunday’s game after Maresca issued a worrying update about his forward.
“The only ones [out] are Jamie [Vardy] and Kel [Ihenacho], still out, both of them,” said Maresca as Nigeria’s game against the Equato-Guineans edges closer.
The injury state in the Super Eagles camp leaves Victor Osimhen as the only recognised striker in Peseiro’s arsenal and the Portuguese would be hoping the Napoli forward does not get injured as well.
For a team already under fire for underperforming in recent matches, including the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, the situation is not looking good.
Pictured above: Nigeria striker Paul Onuachu
Image source: Super Eagles
