Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers have been thrown into further uncertainty following the injury setback suffered by Paul Onuachu, coming just as Victor Osimhen is already facing a spell on the sidelines.
The timing could hardly be worse for Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, with Nigeria set to begin their AFCON qualifying campaign this month and a growing number of key players now dealing with injuries.
Onuachu was forced off in the 44th minute of Trabzonspor’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Gençlerbirliği in the Turkish Süper Lig on Sunday, shortly after producing one of his best attacking displays of the season.
The 32-year-old striker scored twice inside the opening 22 minutes to help Trabzonspor take control of the contest and finally ended a frustrating 10-game goal drought.
Onuachu could even have completed his hat-trick in the first half, but he allowed Mohamed Salah to take the penalty Trabzonspor won in the 12th minute, with the Egyptian converting confidently.
