4th October, 2020
By Preye Campbell
The Nigeria Football Federation has substituted Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen with Paul Onuachu in the upcoming Super Eagles friendly games against Tunisia and Algeria
The reason for Osimhen’s absence has not been publicised, but it is believed that this is a safety measure taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the Super Eagles camp.
Osimhen’s Serie A club Napoli learned this week that midfielders Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas had contracted coronavirus, with the squad’s other players returning negative tests.
The Partenopei later announced that both playing and coaching staff had been placed under isolation, throwing Sunday’s super fixture with Juventus into doubt.
Seven-time capped Osimhen was in the initial squad in coach Gernot Rohr’s selection, but will now miss out on the Super Eagles’ first games in 2020.
His replacement, Onuachu, is currently in good form in the Belgian Jupiler League with Genk. His goal in Saturday’s draw at Waasland-Beveren was his seventh of the season, in his seventh game which sees him lead the league’s top scorer’s charts.
Onuachu, 26, has won seven caps for Nigeria and has scored one goal, which came in a 1-0 friendly victory over Egypt on March 26, 2019.