Nigeria will be without key striker Victor Osimhen for Tuesday’s must-win World Cup qualifier in South Africa after a foot injury saw him miss the trip, officials confirmed on Monday.

The 2023 African Footballer of the Year is Nigeria’s lead attacker but was hurt playing in Saturday’s 1-0 home win over Rwanda in Uyo and ruled out of the Group C showdown in Bloemfontein.

He hobbled off after 32 minutes of the clash.

Nigeria trail leaders South Africa by six points in the standings, although South Africa are expected to be sanctioned three points for using a defaulter earlier in the qualifying campaign, making this a key game for any late comeback for the Super Eagles.

Ethiopia against Egypt

Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Football Federation has logged an official complaint with FIFA against the Egyptian national football team following the match between the two sides last Friday, which ended in a 2-0 victory for Egypt.

The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) condemned, in an official statement published on its social media, “unacceptable behaviour” during the match, notably the use of lasers by fans.

“This behavior significantly disrupted their concentration and performance, thereby compromising the fairness and integrity of the match,” Ethiopian Football Federation said in a statement posted on X.

EFF also accused Egyptian football fans of disrespecting the national team, demanding FIFA “Initiate a formal investigation into the events that occurred during the Egypt vs Ethiopia World Cup Qualifier match. Hold the Egyptian Football Association accountable for the misconduct of its supporters, in line with FIFA’s disciplinary framework”

Ethiopia's chances of qualifying for the World Cup are threatened, despite three remaining matches in the qualifiers. The team currently sits fifth in Group A with 6 points.