Victor Osimhen to miss Nigeria's friendly against Russia due to injury

Victor Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s upcoming international friendly against Russia on October 6 in Nizhny Novgorod as he continues to recover from a right-thigh muscle injury sustained while playing for Galatasaray. The striker’s absence follows confirmation from the Nigeria Football Federation that he will also miss the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

Former Nigeria international Sani Kaita described Osimhen’s absence as a “huge loss” for the Super Eagles but expressed confidence that the team possesses sufficient attacking depth to compensate. Head coach Éric Chelle faces a significant squad challenge, as several other established players, including Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi, Samuel Chukwueze, and Ola Aina, are also expected to miss the encounter.

Kaita, who has extensive experience playing in Russia, predicted a 2-1 victory for the host nation, noting that Russia remains a serious opponent.