{
  "id": 6509858,
  "title": "Osimhen out, who leads Eagles’ attack?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/osimhen-out-who-leads-eagles-attack-6509858",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-10T00:58:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/osimhen-out-who-leads-eagles-attack/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The absence of Victor Osimhen has left the Super Eagles' coach Eric Chelle with a difficult decision to make regarding who will lead Nigeria's attack in the lead-up to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Osimhen has been ruled out for around three weeks due to a groin injury, which makes his availability for the September 25 qualifier against Madagascar and the September 29 match against Guinea-Bissau highly uncertain. This creates a dilemma for Chelle as he must choose from a group of available strikers, each with different qualities, experience levels, and effectiveness with the national team. Paul Onuachu, the experienced option, remains doubtful due to his own injury concerns, further reducing Chelle's choices. Among the available strikers, Tolu Arokodare (Ajax) stands out with his impressive club form, having scored five goals and provided two assists in seven appearances for the Dutch club. However, his international record of scoring twice in 10 appearances is not as strong as his club exploits. Another option is Akor Adams (Venezia), who has scored six goals and provided two assists in 15 appearances for the Italian club. Adams has a stronger record in the national team, having scored six goals and provided two assists in 15 appearances since making his senior debut in October 2025. He also demonstrated his ability to complement Osimhen during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Rafiu Durosinmi (Genk) is another striker making a strong case, having scored four goals in five league appearances for Genk since joining from Pisa. His impressive form could earn him a return to the national team. Lastly, Kelechi Iheanacho (Bursaspor) has been in prolific form with Turkish side Bursaspor, scoring eight goals and providing two assists in six matches. His return to the Super Eagles would be beneficial, but his previous struggles with club form and injuries raise questions about whether he can still lead effectively in international play. Chelle must weigh the options and decide which striker best suits Nigeria's needs at this crucial time.",
  "summary": "In a matter of days, the Super Eagles will converge for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with one obvious decision facing coach Eric Chelle – who replaces Victor Osimhen? PUNCH Sports Extra’s ABIODUN ADEWALE x-rays the available options As the Super Eagles prepare to converge for the first window of their 2027 Read More: https://punchng.com/osimhen-out-who-leads-eagles-attack/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Osimhen out, who leads Eagles’ attack?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/osimhen-out-who-leads-eagles-attack",
        "published": "2026-09-10T00:44:49.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}