Nigeria will be without talisman Victor Osimhen in their clash against Bafana Bafana on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles will go into battle against Bafana Bafana at the Free Stadium on Tuesday, in a FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifier.
Bafana Bafana are top of Group C with 16 points from seven matches, followed by Benin (11 points) and Nigeria (10 points) from the same number of matches.
Bafana Bafana could seal qualification with a win against Nigeria if Benin fails to win against Lesotho in the other match.
Therefore, Bafana Bafana against Nigeria is a must-win clash for either side, and for the West Africans, Osimhen’s absence is a major setback. He has 26 goals in 41 outings for Nigeria.
The Super Eagles have confirmed in a statement that Osimhen, 26, has been ruled out of the match due to a shin injury.
“The team doctor confirmed Victor Osimhen’s injury is a bruise on his shin. He woke up this (Sunday) morning with discomfort and will not be traveling with the squad to South Africa for Tuesday’s game,” the statement read.
Osimhen’s absence is a major blow for coach Eric Chelle, who will now rely on Tolu Arokodare and Cyriel Dessers to lead the attack in Bloemfontein.
