Super Eagles Coach Rohr Hands Late Call-Up To Genk's Onuachu As Replacement For Osimhen

Published: October 04, 2020

Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr has handed a late call-up to red-hot Racing Genk striker Paul Onuachu ahead of the international friendlies against Algeria and Tunisia.

The Nigeria Football Federation announced on Sunday morning that Napoli summer signing Victor Osimhen has been excused from the Super Eagles games against the North African teams and his replacement is Onuachu.

Two Napoli players Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas, and staff member Giandomenico Costi tested positive for COVID-19 in the wake of their 6-0 win against Genoa last weekend.

To prevent the spread of the virus, it is recommended that players, including Osimhen, who were in direct contact with the players diagnosed with COVID-19 will quarantine for fourteen days, which effectively rules the Nigerian out of the Super Eagles friendlies.

Rohr not naming Onuachu in his original squad list was a controversial decision as the former FC Midtjylland man has been firing on all cylinders since the start of the new season, scoring in each of his last four matches in the Belgian First Division A.

The lanky striker's last appearance in a Super Eagles shirt was in a friendly against Brazil on October 13, 2019, coming off the bench to replace Osimhen in the 74th minute.

Igho Kingsley

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