By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers have been dealt another setback with Raphael Onyedika suffering a fresh injury, leaving head coach Eric Chelle with mounting concerns over player availability.
Onyedika was forced off after just 16 minutes in Club Brugge’s Belgian Jupiler League clash with Westerlo on Wednesday night, clutching his hamstring as he made his way off the pitch.
The defensive midfielder will now face a race against time to prove his fitness before the Super Eagles’ double-header against Lesotho and Benin Republic next month.
His setback adds to Chelle’s growing injury list, with Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru also doubtful after sustaining a muscle injury during last weekend’s Derby della Capitale, where Lazio fell 1-0 to AS Roma.
The double blow threatens to disrupt Chelle’s midfield plans, with both players seen as important options in Nigeria’s bid to secure maximum points in the early stages of their qualification campaign.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
