Nigeria’s hopes for a smooth qualification to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations have been slightly hampered by the absence of Sadiq Umar from today’s Matchday 5 qualifier against Benin Republic in Abidjan.
The Real Sociedad striker failed to make it on time to join the Super Eagles in the Ivorian city after missing his flight, and as a result, he will not feature in the crucial encounter.
Umar, who had been called up to the squad after a long absence, was not present for the team’s final tactical training session ahead of the game.
This marks a continuation of a rocky relationship between the 27-year-old forward and the Nigerian national team.
His recall comes 10 months after he publicly criticized the Eagles’ medical team for their handling of his knee injury, which saw him dropped from the 2023 AFCON squad.
Since his debut for the Super Eagles, Umar has netted only once in 11 appearances, and his omission from the team’s preparations means he will not add to his tally in the match against Benin.
Despite this setback, Nigeria is on the brink of qualification, needing only a point from their final two group matches to secure their place in the 2025 AFCON.
The Eagles were awarded a 3-0 walkover against Libya after being stranded at an airport in Tripoli last month—a decision that is still subject to appeal.
With Libya almost out of the picture, either Benin or Rwanda will likely join Nigeria in the next phase of qualification, depending on the outcome of today’s matches.
