Awoniyi Replaces Injured Osimhen for Nigeria’s AFCON Qualifiers

By Samuel Akpan

Coventry City forward Taiwo Awoniyi has been handed a Super Eagles recall, replacing the injured Victor Osimhen for Nigeria’s upcoming 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

The national team confirmed Awoniyi’s inclusion on Sunday via their official X account, marking his return to the squad under head coach Eric Chelle.

The Super Eagles announced: “Coventry City striker, Taiwo Awoniyi replaces Victor Osimhen in Nigeria’s squad for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea Bissau. Welcome back, Taiwo.”

Awoniyi’s inclusion follows Osimhen’s withdrawal after recovery from a muscle injury stretched longer than expected.

Super Eagles media officer Promise Efoghe said: “Victor Osimhen’s recovery from a muscle strain has been slower than expected.”

Osimhen had been named in Chelle’s initial squad but has been sidelined since the Galatasaray clash with Istanbul Basaksehir on September 5.

He was substituted after 33 minutes with discomfort around his left inner thigh. The club later described an advanced moderate strain of the right adductor muscle group.

His absence from Galatasaray’s league fixture against Trabzonspor on Saturday confirmed he would miss the international window.

Awoniyi now offers Chelle another attacking option as Nigeria begin their AFCON qualifying campaign.

The Super Eagles host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on September 25, then travel to face Guinea-Bissau’s Wild Dogs four days later.

Nigeria are also scheduled to meet Russia in a friendly at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on October 6.

Persecondnews recalls that Awoniyi  recently bagged a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Football Sport Directorship with Merit from the PFA Business School, delivered with the University of Portsmouth.

 He announced it on September 15,  days before the Super Eagles call-up.

It is his third academic award while still playing – he earlier took a diploma in Business Administration and Marketing Management from the London School of International Business (2020), then a Bachelor’s in Business Management from Buckinghamshire New University in Wycombe (2022).

The latest course is a two-year executive programme aimed at future sporting directors.

Coordinators include former Manchester City sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta and ex-Southampton executive Les Reed.