Before the WCQs, Onuachu joins the Super Eagles walking wounded; the Trabzonspor coach

Ahead of the national team’s pivotal 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana and Benin’s Cheetahs, Paul Onuachu is the most recent Super Eagles player to sustain an injury.

Empoli right-back Tyronne Ebuehi, left-back for Porto Since both Zaidu Sanusi and Moses Simon, the winger for Nantes, are still healing from serious injuries, it is unlikely that they will be eligible for selection for either match.

Bright Osayi-Samuel, a fullback for Fenerbahce, recently sustained an ankle injury. William Troost-Ekong, a central defender, is recovering at PAOK from an injury he sustained at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Jamilu Collins has been fighting to recover from a groin injury that has kept him out of Cardiff City’s last three Championship games.

Onuachu was forced off the field due to injury during the second half of Trabzonpor’s 4-0 victory over Fatih Karagümrük on Wednesday night at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium during the Turkish Cup semifinals, second leg.

After engaging in an aerial duel with Federico Ceccherini, the central defender for Fatih Karagümrük, in the 57th minute, the Southampton loanee landed awkwardly on the ground. He immediately requested medical care.

A member of Trabzonspor’s backroom staff had to assist him off the field after he received treatment for a few minutes, and in the sixtyth minute, Umut Bozok took his place.

Only recently has Onuachu returned to the Trabzonspor treatment room following an eight-week layoff due to a fractured forearm.

The lanky striker gave Trabzonspor the lead in the 54th minute when he volleyed a Thomas Meunier ball home, just before suffering the injury.

After the game, Trabzonspor’s coach Abdullah Avcı downplayed Onuachu’s injury, stating that the medical staff had informed him the forward’s condition wasn’t too bad.

He stated, as quoted by Taka Gazete: “We discovered that it is a spasm-like syndrome rather than a dangerous one. By the end of the week, I believe he will be prepared.

Due to an injury, Finidi decided not to call up Onuachu for the Super Eagles’ March international matches against Ghana and Mali.