World Cup Playoff: Anxiety Over Osimhen’s Fitness

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As the crucial World Cup playoff against the Ghanaian Black Stars draws nearere anxiety mounts as to the true fitness of Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen to make the cut when hostilities begin.

Indeed, Super Eagles coach Austin Eguavoen should be worried over the fitness of Osimhen after the striker went off with a suspected injury in Napoli’s 4-2 loss to Barcelona on Thursday night.

Although Osimhen played for 73 minutes in the clash at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, he walked off with a heavy strapping on his knee, raising speculations he might have picked up another injury.

Osimhen appears to have been nursing the injury since the first leg of the clash last week. The Nigerian international had a taping in the reverse fixture at the Camp Nou.

At the same time, Spalletti also revealed he did not start against Cagliari on Monday because he was not fit enough. And It now appears he has aggravated the issue in the match against Xavi Hernandez’s men on Thursday.

However, Napoli is yet to release a statement, but Pundits believe Osimhen’s fitness will be a big worry for Nigeria ahead of next month’s clash against Ghana.

The Eagles will play their West African rivals in two massive World Cup playoff games and will need the services of Osimhen to boost their chances of qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar.

It is believed that Osimhen’s potential absence could be a blow for Nigeria after he missed the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations campaign due to a facial injury.

The ex-Lille man only returned to competitive action last month after eight weeks on the sidelines.