Super Eagles players, Victor Osimhen and Kelechi Iheanacho are out of the Super Eagles squad as Nigeria take on Mozambique in their second friendly game of the international break.
Their exclusion from the squad that will play at the Estadio Municipal de Portimäo was confirmed by coach Jose Peseiro in the game against the East Africans due to separate issues.
As for Osimhen, the reason he has not been selected is that talented striker sustained an injury in the Eagles 2-2 draw against Saudi Arabia in Portimäo on Friday and has been allowed to return back to Italy for further assessments.
While the Nigeria Football Federation revealed that Iheanacho, who came in as a second half substitute against the Green Falcons and scored a goal, has been allowed to leave the Eagles camp to attend to a pressing personal issue.
Interestingly, Peseiro who affirmed that insisting he has enough quality in the squad to get the required result has remained positive and confident as the Super Eagles prepare for the encounter, regardless of the fact that the two important players are out of the game against Mozambique.
In his words, the Portuguese tactician said, “We will miss Kelechi and Victor, but we have other good players who can make Nigeria proud. I look at the bench and see players who can step up and take their chances.”
Meanwhile, Terem Moffi, Victor Boniface, Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar and Moses Simon, are other options at the disposal of the Peseiro as he hopes that Alex Iwobi will also help the situation with his role in the midfield.
Other players who will likely be given opportunity are defenders Kenneth Omeruo, Jordan Torunarigha and Chidozie Awaziem and midfielders Frank Onyeka, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika.
Going memory lane, both Nigeria and Mozambique have met four times at senior level, with the Super Eagles winning a friendly match in Maputo by a lone goal, before home-and-away 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches that remain fresh in the memory till this day.
The clash with the Mambas is the last gathering for the three-time African champions before the race to the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, in which they host the Crocodiles of Lesotho and then fly to play Zimbabwe’s Warriors away, all within a few days in November.
