{"id":295,"date":"2025-09-07T13:19:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T13:19:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/givemesoccer.com\/?p=295"},"modified":"2025-09-07T13:21:01","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T13:21:01","slug":"295","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/givemesoccer.com\/?p=295","title":{"rendered":"Injury Rules Out Osimhen From Crucial World Cup Qualifier Against South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"860\" height=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/givemesoccer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Osimhen-AFCON-three-860x448-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-297\" srcset=\"https:\/\/givemesoccer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Osimhen-AFCON-three-860x448-1.png 860w, https:\/\/givemesoccer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Osimhen-AFCON-three-860x448-1-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/givemesoccer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Osimhen-AFCON-three-860x448-1-768x400.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Nigeria\u2019s World Cup qualifying campaign has suffered a major setback as star striker Victor Osimhen has been ruled out of the crucial clash against South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Napoli forward sustained a shin bruise during the Super Eagles\u2019 1-0 victory over Rwanda in Uyo, where he was forced off in the 37th minute and replaced by Cyril Dessers. Despite receiving treatment, Osimhen reportedly woke up with significant discomfort, and medical assessments confirmed he will not travel with the squad to South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The decisive qualifier is scheduled for September 9, 2025, and Nigeria will now have to rely on other attacking options in Osimhen\u2019s absence. The Super Eagles\u2019 only goal in the Rwanda match was scored by Tolu Arokodare, but the pressure will now be on the rest of the squad to deliver in Johannesburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Osimhen\u2019s absence is a huge blow to Nigeria\u2019s hopes of securing qualification, as he remains one of Africa\u2019s most prolific strikers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nigeria\u2019s World Cup qualifying campaign has suffered a major setback as star striker Victor Osimhen has been ruled<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[285,284,283],"tags":[277,279,276,275,280,281,278,282],"class_list":["post-295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-african-football","category-super-eagles","category-world-cup-qualifiers-2","tag-nigeria-vs-south-africa","tag-nigerian-football","tag-osimhen-ruled-out-south-africa-world-cup-qualifier","tag-super-eagles","tag-tolu-arokodare","tag-victor-osimhen-injury","tag-world-cup-qualifiers-2025","tag-cyril-dessers"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.0 - 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