World Cup Blow for Super Eagles As Star Striker Ruled Out of Must Win Playoff vs Gabon
- Cyriel Dessers has been sidelined with an ankle injury, and is set to be sidelined for extra weeks
- The Super Eagles striker is set to miss Nigeria’s World Cup playoff clash vs Gabon owing to the seriousness of the injury
- Nigeria will face a tough qualifying path against Gabon, DR Congo, and Cameroon to pick a World Cup ticket
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Nigeria’s hopes for a smooth World Cup qualifying campaign have taken a hit.
Cyriel Dessers, the Panathinaikos striker and one of the Super Eagles’ key forwards, has been ruled out of next month’s 2026 World Cup playoff against Gabon due to a lingering ankle injury.
Source: Getty Images
The former Rangers man was initially listed for Nigeria’s October fixtures against Lesotho and Benin but had to withdraw after failing to recover in time.
His injury, picked up during Panathinaikos’ Europa League clash with Young Boys, turned out to be more serious than the club first believed.
Medical reports now indicate that the 30-year-old forward will need at least another month of rest and rehabilitation before returning to full training.
This timeline rules Dessers out of the crucial playoff in Morocco, where Nigeria must beat Gabon to stay on track for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Panathinaikos react swiftly to replace Dessers
Panathinaikos have wasted no time responding to Dessers’ absence.
The Greek club has registered Serbian international Milos Pantovic as a temporary replacement in their Europa League squad.
According to UEFA’s competition rules, clubs are allowed to make such replacements if a player is ruled out for at least 60 days during the group phase,
The decision underlines how serious Dessers’ situation is, as his recovery is expected to take him out for much of the remaining fixtures before the international break.
While there’s optimism that Dessers could return for Panathinaikos’ derby against PAOK on November 9, that match falls just four days before Nigeria’s playoff tie.
Even if the 30-year-old forward makes it back in time, he would be far from match-ready, making it risky for coach Eric Chelle to include him in the Super Eagles final squad.
Super Eagles face a tough path to the World Cup
With Dessers out, Nigeria’s attacking options look thinner than expected.
Source: Getty Images
The Super Eagles will need to rely on Victor Osimhen, Adams Akor, and Tolu Arokodare to lead the the attack as they face Gabon in a decisive playoff clash.
The stakes are high as Nigeria must overcome Gabon, DR Congo, and Cameroon to secure a single spot in the African playoff.
Only two African teams from that stage will progress to the Intercontinental playoffs for a chance to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as seen on FIFA's official website.
For a side eager to return to football’s biggest stage after missing the 2022 edition, losing a proven goal scorer like Dessers at such a critical moment adds extra pressure.
FIFA suspends Super Eagles star
In another development, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria's bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been made tougher following the suspension of top Super Eagles defender Semi Ajayi.
FIFA has reportedly communicated to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that defender Ajayi will not be available for the Super Eagles’ crucial World Cup playoff clash against Gabon next month.
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Source: Legit.ng
