Super Eagles interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen has explained why he left star strikers Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi on the bench during Nigeria’s 0-0 draw against Rwanda in the AFCON 2025 qualifier.
Osimhen started as a substitute for the second consecutive game.
Eguavoen later brought him on for Victor Boniface in the second half, but Osimhen struggled to make an impact.
This performance differed from his standout display against Benin Republic, where he scored.
Eguavoen cited Osimhen’s fitness concerns after a difficult summer, including a failed move to Chelsea and a fallout with Napoli.
The coach explained, “Osimhen is our brother. He just moved to Galatasaray and has not been playing active football for a while. We are trying to manage his fitness.”
“We had a word with him that he can’t play 90 minutes or else he will get injured.”
Eguavoen also addressed limiting Taiwo Awoniyi’s minutes, noting that squad rotation and fitness management were crucial factors.
“Awoniyi had a few minutes at his club before joining us,” he said, explaining that despite the large pool of players, only 11 can start each match.
On the team’s preparation, Eguavoen revealed the difficulties of implementing tactical changes with limited time between games.
However, the coach remains optimistic about Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 qualification chances.
