Super Eagles: Osimhen Makes AFCON Return as Eguavoen Names Squad for Benin, Rwanda Showdowns

In a boost for Nigeria’s Super Eagles, interim coach Augustine Eguavoen has announced a 23-man squad for the final Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda. Notable in the squad is star striker Victor Osimhen, who is returning from injury after a brief absence.

Osimhen, who missed Nigeria’s recent fixture against Libya due to a knock, made a strong comeback with Galatasaray. The Nigerian forward scored a goal in their dominant 3-0 win over Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on October 19. He followed that performance by netting the match-winner in a thrilling derby against Besiktas on October 28.

The squad also sees the return of Umar Sadiq from Real Sociedad, who had been sidelined for a while. These qualifiers will be crucial as Nigeria looks to secure their spot at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

The upcoming matches are pivotal for Nigeria, as they sit atop Group D with 10 points. This comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded Nigeria three points and three goals for their abandoned match against Libya, where the Super Eagles were stranded at a Libyan airport for several hours prior to the scheduled match. After intense diplomatic efforts and social media pressure, the team was eventually cleared to leave the airport.

The Super Eagles will face Benin Republic on November 14 at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, with the game kicking off at 8:00 PM Nigeria time. Four days later, Nigeria will host Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, on November 18, for their final group-stage match.

With the qualifiers nearing their end, Nigeria’s focus will be on securing a win to maintain their top spot and guarantee automatic qualification for next year’s AFCON.

Full Squad List for Nigeria’s AFCON Qualifiers vs. Benin and Rwanda

(Include the list of players here)