'He's a huge miss' - Eguavoen banking on Boniface, Iheanacho, Awoniyi to step into the shoes of Osimhen

Nigeria's interim manager Augustine Eguavoen is not losing sleep over the absence of Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen ahead of the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Libya's Mediterranean Knights.

Although Eguavoen acknowledged that Osimhen would be a big miss, he underlined that there are other strikers in the squad who can get the job done. 

The 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner has called up three center forwards for the double-header, namely Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen), Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla) and Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest).

In the absence of Osimhen, there are no prizes for guessing that Victor Boniface will lead the front three and will likely be flanked by Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon or Samuel Chukwueze. 

2013 Fifa U17 World Cup winners Iheanacho and Awoniyi have lost their scoring boots in the new season as they have not managed a goal in ten appearances between them, whereas Boniface has been firing on all cylinders with six goals in his first nine matches for Bayer Leverkusen.

Boniface was selected over Osimhen in the starting lineup for the internationals in September as the Napoli-owned center forward was lacking match fitness. 

Speaking to NFF TV, Eguavoen said: "It's a collective effort, it's a team sport not individual sport. We are in touch, he's a huge miss, we all know how important and impactful Osimhen can be, but we have other players who can step into his shoes.

"He's not here physically but I am one hundred percent sure he's here spiritually with us."

Of the twenty three players named in the Super Eagles squad for the Afcon qualifying matches against Libya, Iheanacho has scored the most goals at international level, fifteen in fifty five matches. 
 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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