Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi have been sidelined from Nigeria’s upcoming friendly matches against Ghana and Mali.

The Super Eagles camp opened on Tuesday, but both players will miss out due to injury, as confirmed by an update on the team’s social media page.

Osimhen, Africa’s Player of the Year, has faced fitness struggles in recent weeks, leading to his exclusion from the friendly fixtures scheduled for March 22nd and 26th.

Similarly, Awoniyi, who recently recovered from a lengthy lay-off, has also been ruled out due to injury concerns.

The injury woes extend to other players as well. Tyronne Ebuehi, who missed out on Nigeria’s squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) due to injury, sustained another setback in Empoli’s match against Bologna.

Additionally, Gabriel Osho, who earned his first call-up to the national team, will also be unavailable for the games.

Despite these setbacks, Nigeria’s camp in Marrakech, Morocco, is bustling with players, many of whom featured in the AFCON squad.

Notable names in camp include Cyril Dessers, Nathan Tella, Simon Moses, Semi Ajayi, and Alex Iwobi, among others. More players are expected to join them in preparation for the upcoming matches.

Assistant coach George Finidi will lead the Nigerian team following the expiration of former head coach Jose Peseiro’s contract, with the search for his replacement already underway.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s squad for the match against Nigeria also faces absences due to injury and other reasons.

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is recovering from injury and has requested to be excused from the game to attain full fitness.

Joseph Painstil is unable to join the squad due to immigration documentation procedures related to his move to the United States.

Additionally, Inaki Williams has opted out of the games to focus on rest and recovery from recent injury setbacks, according to the Ghana Football Association (GFA).