VICTOR Osimhen has been given the all-clear to join his Super Eagles teammates in Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire for their AFCON 2023 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash against South Africa.
The Napoli striker and African Player of the Year was not able to travel with the team from Abidjan to Bouake last night as he was suffering from ‘abdominal discomfort’
“We will fly from Abidjan to Bouaké today via a 10pm Air Cote D’Ivoire flight. Victor Osimhen will not join us on this trip as a result of an abdominal discomfort,” the Super Eagles media team had said in an official statement last night.
“Team medics confirmed that he has been placed under close watch with a member of the medical team staying behind in Abidjan with him. If cleared by tomorrow morning, he will join the rest of the squad before 5pm.”
Although it has not been confirmed if he has recovered sufficiently to play the semi-final tomorrow, reports from Cote d’Ivoire today said Osimhen had been cleared by team doctors to join up with his colleagues in Bouake, about 350 kilometres from Abidjan.
Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro sounded optimistic when asked about Osimhen’s situation during his pre-match press conference today.
“The doctors will continue to work with him and confirm his fitness for the game later in the day,” Peseiro said.
Although Osimhen has scored only one goal and made one assist in five matches at AFCON 2023, he is one of the most important players in Peseiro’s Super Eagles squad and is guaranteed to start when fully fit.
The first AFCON 2023 semi-final between the Super Eagles and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will be held at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake tomorrow, kicking off at 6pm Nigerian time.
