Taiwo Awoniyi has replaced injured Victor Osimhen in Nigeria’s squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea Bissau.
The change means Osimhen will miss the chance to move closer to Rashidi Yekini’s record as the Super Eagles all time leading goalscorer during the current international window.
The Nigeria Super Eagles confirmed Awoniyi’s inclusion in a post on their official X account on Sunday.
“Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi replaces Victor Osimhen in Nigeria’s squad for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
Awoniyi is now expected to feature for the Super Eagles in their qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea Bissau.
Osimhen remains two goals short of Yekini record
Osimhen has scored 35 goals for Nigeria and needs three more to equal or surpass Yekini’s record of 37 goals.
Yekini remains Nigeria’s leading scorer after scoring 37 times in 62 appearances for the national team.
Osimhen had been part of Eric Chelle’s squad for the international window. However, his recovery from a right adductor muscle strain has taken longer than expected.
The striker missed Galatasaray’s Süper Lig meeting with Trabzonspor on September 19. The match had been viewed by club and national team officials as an important test of his fitness.
His absence from that game further raised doubts about his availability for Nigeria’s qualifiers. The Super Eagles later confirmed that he would miss both matches.
Chelle had named separate squads on Thursday for Nigeria’s AFCON qualifiers and the international friendly against Russia.
Nigeria will face Madagascar on September 25 before meeting Guinea Bissau on September 29. The Super Eagles will then play Russia in an international friendly on October 6, 2026.
For now, Awoniyi takes Osimhen’s place in the squad, while Yekini’s long standing record remains intact heading into the latest round of AFCON qualifiers.
