Boost for Eric Chelle as Key Super Eagles Star Makes Injury Return Before 2026 WCQ
- Eric Chelle has received a huge boost ahead of next month's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier final matches
- A Super Eagles star who got injured during the September international returned to action for his club
- Three players got injured during the games against Rwanda and South Africa, including Victor Osimhen
Eric Chelle will be delighted with the news that a Super Eagles player made his return from injury at his club ahead of the final matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
Nigeria has a chance to qualify from Group C after FIFA launched an investigation into South Africa fielding the ineligible Teboho Mokoena on matchday three against Lesotho.
Source: Getty Images
The possible three-point deduction will give the top four teams in the Group the chance to clinch the automatic ticket heading into the last two matches.
South Africa leads Group C with 17 points, Benin Republic is second with 14 points, while Nigeria and Rwanda are third and fourth with 11 points each.
Super Eagles team news
Chelle is getting ready to announce his squad for the matches against Lesotho and Benin Republic during the October international games.
There are concerns over the availability of three players who got injured during the last break. Victor Osimhen against Rwanda, Wilfred Ndidi and Ola Aina against South Africa.
Aina suffered a serious hamstring injury and will be out until December, potentially at risk of missing out on the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou refused to blame Chelle or South Africa for his player’s injury and believes that international football gives exposure to players.
"I am a big fan of continental competition, representative football, international football. I know again the congested calendar. As clubs, we often pay a price. We obviously lost Ola Aina from international duty,” he said as quoted by All Nigeria Soccer.
“The benefits of playing in those kinds of competitions and playing in Europe and testing themselves in different kinds of environments and against different types of players, allow them to grow in ways where if they were just playing a domestic competition.”
Osimhen is also gradually returning to full training at Galatasaray, and is expected to make the match-day squad against Alanyaspor and return fully against Liverpool in the Champions League.
Ndidi returns to action for Besiktas
As noted by Besiktas's official website, Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is back in action after missing two matches due to an injury suffered in Bloemfontein.
Source: Getty Images
He started Besiktas’ 4-0 win over Kayserispor and featured for 66 minutes in his first appearance since his injury before Kartal Yilmaz replaced him.
His return will bring relief to Chelle, who faces the prospect of playing two decisive matches without some of his best players.
Buruk provided update on Osimhen
Legit.ng reported that Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk provided an update on Victor Osimhen after the striker’s injury in Nigeria.
The manager confirmed that the club's record signing is training partially as he still feels pain, and his availability will depend on his tolerance.
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Source: Legit.ng
