Super Eagles coah, Eric Chelle has called up Conventry striker, Taiwo Awoniyi quickly to cover for Victor Osimhen’s absence for the upcoming AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed the change through the Super Eagles’ official X account on Sunday:
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.”
It’s a timely recall for the 29-year-old, who only recently completed a reported £9 million move to newly-promoted Coventry City from Nottingham Forest and had been out of the Super Eagles picture for close to two years.
Awoniyi return follows confirmation on Saturday that Osimhen wouldn’t recover from his right adductor strain in time, after the Galatasaray striker was also left out of his club’s Süper Lig clash with Trabzonspor a match both club and country had been treating as his fitness test before the international window.
Awoniyi’s inclusion gives Eric Chelle a different profile of striker to work with. Where Osimhen offers pace in behind and clinical movement, Awoniyi’s game is built more around hold-up play and physical presence, which could suit Nigeria if games against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau turn into the kind of tight, low-block contests newly-drawn qualifiers often are.
