Osimhen to miss CAF awards

Victor Osimhen will be absent at this year’s CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday (today), as he returns to Galatasaray for a scheduled MRI scan on the hamstring injury he picked up during international duty for Nigeria.

Osimhen, who won the award in 2023, is in the running for the award for the second time in his career. This year, he is up against Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohammed Salah and Achraf Hakimi of PSG and Morocco.

The player is expected undergo a scan that will determine the extent of the injury he suffered on Sunday.

Osimhen was withdrawn at halftime during Nigeria’s loss to DR Congo in the final of the 2026 World Cup African play-offs on Sunday. The striker was believed to have suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted to prevent further aggravation.

In the semi-final against Gabon, the 27-year-old scored an extra-time brace to take his national team tally for Nigeria to 31 goals.

The Nigerian striker is returning to the podium after winning two years ago. He was succeeded by his compatriot, Ademola Lookman.

Abiodun Adewale

Abiodun, who reports Sports for PUNCH, covers different tiers of the Nigerian football league, the national teams, as well as cricket, in the last six years

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