'Unpredictable' - Gabon coach says he's working on strategy to contain Super Eagle star Osimhen

Gabon head coach Thierry Mouyouma has admitted that his team must adopt a special tactical approach to deal with the threat of Victor Osimhen ahead of their 2026 World Cup qualifying playoff match with Nigeria, describing the Super Eagles striker as an unpredictable striker.

Despite featuring in only five matches during the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers due to fitness concerns, Osimhen made a remarkable impact, netting six goals.

The highlight of his performance was a stunning hat-trick in Nigeria's emphatic 4–0 victory over Benin's Cheetahs on October 14.

At club level, Osimhen has continued his blistering form, shattering records since the start of the season.

The Super Eagles talisman has been in unstoppable goalscoring mood, and his treble against Ajax Amsterdam on Wednesday night propelled him to the summit of the UEFA Champions League scoring charts.

Osimhen's ability to single-handedly dismantle defences has become a defining feature of his game.

His performances in the World Cup qualifiers, where he inspired Nigeria to four wins in their last five outings, serve as further proof of his match-winning prowess.

When asked how he plans to defend against Osimhen, Mouyouma emphasised that the Super Eagles forward's all-round qualities demand a tailored strategy rather than a conventional defensive setup.

Speaking at Thursday's press conference monitored by allnigeriasoccer.com, Mouyouma said: "We have to defend as we wouldn't defend against just anyone. How do we actually defend against him? 

"This type of player can be unpredictable, but he also loves playing in behind.

"The ability to reduce the distances behind us is one way, but even if you solve this problem, he has another side to his game — set pieces and corners.

"That's where the complexity lies. That's where the work of a coach becomes interesting, because we are going to dissect, debate, and agree on a common defensive strategy.

"This Nigeria team could stay further back. We need to be able to take the match into the opponents' half of the pitch. I think that’s the solution to the problem today."

Osimhen was part of the Nigeria squad that narrowly missed out on qualification for the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, and he has vowed to lead the Super Eagles to next year's tournament in North America.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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