Sadiq Umar’s Injury Heightens Dearth of Strikers in Eagles Ahead Clash with E’Guinea

*Paul Onuachu gets late call up as replacement for injured Umar

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Real Sociedad striker, Sadiq Umar, sat out Super Eagles training in Abidjan on Thursday to heighten fears amongst the country’s football stakeholders that Nigeria may begin  the AFCON 2023 campaign against Equatorial Guinea with just Victor Osimhen as the only out and out marksman.

It was later confirmed that Umar has been ruled out of the AFCON 2023 because of the injury he picked up from the Nigeria friendly with Guinea last Monday in Abu Dhabi. He’s ruled out of action for three months while Southampton on loan player at Trabzonspor in the Turkish league, Paul Onuachu has been drafted as his replacement in Jose Peseiro’s 25-man squad. 

Nearly all Super Eagles lethal forwards like Taiwo Awoniyi, Victor Boniface and now Umar are down with one form of injury or the other. Even Kelechi Iheanacho has not fully regain fitness since he got sidelined early last month at Leicester City. His teammate, Wilfred Ndidi, though a midfield enforcer, has been ruled out of this tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.

At yesterday’s training, Umar was excused by Coach Jose Peseiro to sit on the sideline and watch proceedings. Earlier on Wednesday, the Sociedad forward trained alone from the rest of the squad, a situation that first raised red flag that something was not right with the gangling forward.

According to a Super Eagles camp insider, Umar got injured in the friendly with Guinea in Abu Dhabi last Monday.

This, perhaps, explains why he had a strapping around his leg during Wednesday’s light work out.

As things stand now, only Osimhen is the striker in the squad without an issue ahead of Sunday’s opening game against Equatorial Guinea.

Terem Moffi, a last minute replacement for the injured Boniface, will only join up by Sunday and it is not certain now what Eagles handlers are going to do to ameliorate the dire situation.

Jose Peseiro’s men will face the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea in their opening Group A fixture at the Alassanne Quattara Stadium, Ebimpe, Abidjan on Sunday. 

The three-time African champions need an outright win in the game to boost Super Eagles confidence ahead of their big game clash with hosts  Côte d’Ivoire next Thursday.

This Nigeria’s opening game will be live on pay TV channel StarTimes. It  promises to air all AFCON  2023 matches live on Sports Premium, channel  252 or 246 and on StarTimes as well as on StarTimes-ON app.

TRAGEDY AVERTED