Awoniyi replaces injured Osimhen for 2027 AFCON qualifiers

Taiwo Awoniyi. Credit: Super Eagles/X.

Taiwo Awoniyi has been announced as the replacement for Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

This was disclosed in a tweet via the official X handle of the Nigeria Super Eagles on Sunday.

Awoniyi is now billed to play for the nation’s senior men’s team in their qualifier matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

“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,” the tweet read.

Awoniyi, 29, who plies his trade at newly promoted English club Coventry City, was reportedly signed for £9 million from Nottingham Forest.

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PUNCH Online reported that Osimhen had been ruled out of both matches after his recovery from a right adductor muscle strain took longer than expected, according to a report by the Super Eagles team on Saturday.

The Galatasaray striker was part of Eric Chelle’s squad for the international window as the national team hoped he would regain full fitness in time for the qualifiers.

However, his expected return was delayed after he was unavailable for Galatasaray’s Süper Lig clash against Trabzonspor on September 19.

The match had been viewed by both club and national team officials as an important fitness checkpoint for the striker.

On Thursday, Chelle named separate squads for Nigeria’s AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, and a subsequent international friendly against Russia.

The Nigeria Football Federation released the squad lists, with the Super Eagles set to face Madagascar on September 25 and Guinea-Bissau on September 29, before a friendly against Russia on October 6, 2026.

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