Victor Osimhen, previously Nigeria’s primary striker, was once more relegated to the bench in the team’s second Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Rwanda. Osimhen’s benching in the initial match against Benin Republic was due to his late arrival at camp, although he made a notable impact by scoring shortly after coming on.

In Tuesday’s game against Rwanda, Osimhen was substituted in earlier in the second half, while Taiwo Awoniyi, who did not play in the first match, came on as a late substitute.

Post-match in Kigali, Coach Augustine Eguavoen addressed the situation, highlighting concerns over Osimhen’s fitness following a challenging summer that included a failed transfer to Chelsea and issues with Napoli. Eguavoen emphasized the need to manage Osimhen’s fitness carefully, noting, “We are aware of his situation at Napoli and his recent move to Galatasaray. He hasn’t been actively playing, so we need to be cautious with his fitness.”

Eguavoen also explained his decisions regarding player rotations, including Awoniyi’s limited involvement, citing fitness levels and the necessity of squad rotation as key factors. “Awoniyi had limited playtime with his club before joining us. We have a large pool of players, but only 11 can start, which can be frustrating,” he said, underscoring the importance of team cohesion.

Regarding the team’s formation and preparation, Eguavoen acknowledged the difficulties posed by the tight schedule. “We had just three or four days of training before the Benin game and then traveled here, making it challenging to implement tactical changes,” he noted.

Despite these challenges, Eguavoen remains optimistic about the team’s prospects for qualifying for the 2025 AFCON.