Victor Osimhen again did not start for the Super Eagles against Rwanda in Kigali and caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen said this was so because there were concerns over the striker’s match fitness following a long-drawn transfer saga involving his club Napoli.
Super Eagles’ caretaker coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has provided insight into his decision to bench star strikers Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi during Nigeria’s goalless draw against Rwanda in their AFCON 2025 qualifier.
Osimhen, who started from the bench in both 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda has been the subject of discussion among journalists and fans of the game.
The gaffer reiterates the recent media and club tension the striker has faced in Napoli, along with the failed transfer to Chelsea and not playing active football for a while is one of the major reasons he chose to play him from the bench.
Speaking in his post-match interview, Eguavoen explained that fitness concerns played a major role in his lineup choices.
“Osimhen is our brother, you can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. We know what he is going through in Napoli. He just moved to Galatasaray and has not been playing active football for a while now,” Eguavoen said during the post-match press conference.
He emphasized the importance of not rushing Osimhen back into full action to avoid injury risks.
“We are trying to manage his fitness. He played the last 25 minutes in the previous game, and today we had a word with him that he can’t play 90 minutes (vs Rwanda) or else he will get injured,” the coach added.
Super Eagles starting XI against Rwanda
Eguavoen also shed light on his approach with Taiwo Awoniyi, who had limited minutes before joining the national team.
“Awoniyi had a few minutes at his club before joining us. We have 23 to 40 players to choose from, but only 11 can start. It’s frustrating, but the bonding is there, and everyone is on board,” Eguavoen explained.
The Super Eagles’ coach revealed the difficulties of preparing the team in a short time frame.
“We trained for three or four days before the Benin game and then had to come here. It’s very difficult to change formation,” he said, pointing to the constraints in implementing tactical adjustments.
Despite the challenges with player fitness and formation, Eguavoen remains optimistic about Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for AFCON 2025.
