Injury strikes again in Nigeria's AFCON squad

Real Sociedad's Sadiq Umar holds his head in reaction during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Real Betis, in San Sebastian, Spain, 17 December 2023. EPA/Javier Etxezarreta

by Thando Mpembe

Friday Jan 12, 2024. 13:27

Nigeria have announced that another player has withdrawn from their squad ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.

Sadiq Umar has been ruled out of Africa’s biggest football tournament after picking up an injury with the event set to start in Ivory Coast on Saturday.

The Real Sociedad striker become the third player to pull out of the Super Eagles AFCON squad after Wilfred Ndidi and Victor Boniface.

The Super Eagles’ official X page issued the following statement indicating that Paul Onuachu has replaced Umar.

“Sadiq Umar is out of the AFCON 2023 squad due to injury and Paul Onuachu replace him,” a statement read. https://twitter.com/NGSuperEagles/status/1745694965173260699

Onuachu has found the back of the net nine times in 15 matches for Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig this season.

Nigeria will start their AFCON Group A campaign with a match against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.