By Samuel Ahmadu in Morocco
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are grappling with mounting injury concerns ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Round of 16 clash against Mozambique, as several players remain sidelined or face fitness doubts going into the knockout fixture.
The biggest setback is the loss of Cyriel Dessers, who has been ruled out of the tournament with a thigh injury. The forward has since returned to his club for further treatment, reducing Nigeria’s attacking options at a crucial stage of the competition.
Defensive concerns persist with Ryan Alebiosu, who remains a fitness doubt. Although the full-back was present at Friday evening’s training session, he did not take part as he continues recovery from a leg injury.
Midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi also missed training after coming down with a cold, further stretching squad availability as the Super Eagles manage player fitness ahead of the decisive knockout encounter.
Despite the injury challenges, 25 players trained as head coach Eric Chelle addressed the squad, urging them to put their group-stage performances behind and fully refocus on the demands of knockout football.
With the Round of 16 tie looming, injuries are testing Nigeria’s squad depth, placing increased responsibility on the medical team as the Super Eagles seek to keep their AFCON campaign firmly on course.
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.
