By Amaechi Agbo

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have suffered a devastating blow ahead of their critical 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying double-header against Tanzania, as star striker Victor Osimhen has been ruled out of the squad following urgent knee surgery.

Head coach Éric Chelle unveiled his 24-man roster for the crucial November international window, but the omission of the Galatasaray talisman headlines a growing list of concerns for a struggling Nigerian side.

Osimhen’s latest setback occurred on Tuesday night during Galatasaray’s 2-0 UEFA Champions League triumph over VfB Stuttgart. Although the 27-year-old forward completed the full 90 minutes, subsequent medical examinations and MRI scans revealed a severe strain in his left knee accompanied by a loose body fragment within the joint.

The Turkish champions acted immediately, pulling him from their domestic weekend fixture and scheduling an arthroscopic procedure performed today by club doctor Yener İnce at the Maslak Acıbadem Hospital. Early reports suggest Osimhen will face a recovery period of three to four weeks, completely erasing his availability for international duty.

This marks a painful repetition of history for Nigeria’s qualifying campaign. Osimhen previously sat out the opening round of Group L fixtures in September after recovering from a separate muscle injury, leaving the Super Eagles noticeably blunt in the final third.

The timing of Osimhen’s injury could not be more precarious for Coach Chelle. Nigeria finds itself in an uncomfortable second place in Group L after an uninspiring start to the qualifiers. While they managed a narrow 2-1 victory over Madagascar in Uyo, they were thoroughly outclassed in a shocking 3-0 away defeat to Guinea-Bissau.

With Guinea-Bissau currently leading the group with a perfect six points, and only one automatic qualification spot up for grabs, the back-to-back ties against Tanzania have effectively become must-win games for the Super Eagles. Ironically, Tanzania is already automatically qualified for the 2027 tournament as co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda, meaning they are playing with zero pressure while contesting the group primarily for competitive preparation.

Adding to Nigeria’s offensive crisis, AC Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze is also sidelined after undergoing surgery in London to repair a ruptured tendon in his left hip.

Faced with a depleted frontline, Éric Chelle has heavily reshuffled his attacking unit. Alongside the creative brilliance of Atletico Madrid’s Ademola Lookman and Paris FC’s Moses Simon, the Franco-Malian tactician has handed heavy responsibilities to in-form forwards Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) and Akor Adams (Venezia). Surprisingly, free-scoring Bursaspor forward Kelechi Iheanacho was entirely left out of the squad despite racking up 17 goals domestically this season. AFCON 2027 Race: Chelle Lists Ndidi, Iwobi, Bassey, 22 Others for Tanzania Double-header

Captain Wilfred Ndidi and Fulham’s Alex Iwobi are expected to anchor the midfield, while Stanley Nwabali likely retains his starting spot between the posts following the surprise omission of Udinese’s Maduka Okoye.

The Super Eagles will host the Taifa Stars at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, November 13, before flying out for the treacherous reverse fixture at Zanzibar’s Amman Stadium on Tuesday, November 17. Without their primary focal point upfront, Nigeria’s depth will face its ultimate test as they fight to keep their AFCON 2027 dreams alive.

Because Tanzania has already automatically qualified for the final tournament as a co-host alongside Kenya and Uganda, the dynamic in Group L is uniquely brutal. Only one additional qualification spot is up for grabs for the remaining three nations.

Guinea-Bissau currently commands the top spot with a perfect record of six points from two games, leaving the Super Eagles with a steep hill to climb against Tanzania as they need the maximum six points in the double-header and hope the table topper slips against Madagascar