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NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.
Galatasaray top striker, Victor Osimhen, has left the camp of the Super Eagles camp in Morocco ahead of the third place match against Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Saturday.
This is coming after Nigeria lost the semi-final match of the 2025 AFCON to the host of the tournament, Morocco.
In the match played on Wednesday, the Atlas Lions defeated the Super Eagles of Nigeria 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the match did not produce a single goal in regulation and extra times.
According to camp sources, Osimhen left Morocco on Thursday for Turkey to get treatment for the injury he sustained in the semi-final clash.
He was replaced towards the end of the match in which he served as stand-in captain following the one match suspension of Wilfred Ndidi.
The Eagle Online is reporting that it has become a standard procedure for clubs to treat their injured players who are on assignments for their countries.
A camp source said: “Since he is injured, and won’t definitely feature in the third place match, he decided to return early to treat the injury.
“And that is a standard procedure.
“Clubs prefer to treat their injured players on national assignments.
“The belief is that their doctors know the players better.”
Also, a source said that Coach Eric Chelle is not likely to feature his entire first team against the Pharaohs of Egypt in the third place match.
Chelle, the source said, would likely give other players on the bench the opportunity to showcase their talents with the match.
The source said: “If you recollect, the match against Uganda in the group stage, which was not a must win, was played largely by players who had not been tested in the first two matches at the group stage.
“It is likely going to be the same against Egypt.
“Countries actually don’t place too much emphasis on third place matches.
“If Nigeria had been in the final, it could have been worth it for Osimhen to hang on and watch his colleagues play.”
The Eagle Online recalls that Calvin Bassey will also miss the third place match against Egypt following two consecutive bookings in the AFCON.
Bassey, who stood his ground against Morocco in the heart of the defence of the Super Eagles, got a second booking against the Atlas Lions. (The Eagles Online)
