Osimhen big miss for Nigeria – DR Congo’s Sadiki News

DR Congo defender Noah Sadiki has said that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen’s injury helped his team during both sides’ World Cup qualifying playoff final on Sunday in Morocco.

Osimhen was replaced at half-time by teammate Akor Adams as DR Congo defeated the Super Eagles 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes.

The match ended in a draw thanks to goals from Frank Onyeka and Mechak Elia, before the Leopards prevailed in the shootout to clinch the ticket to represent Africa at the intercontinental playoffs taking place in March 2026.

Speaking in a video on X shortly after the match, Sadiki, who currently plays his club football for Premier League club Sunderland, acknowledged Osimhen’s importance to Nigeria’s attack and how his absence affected the game.

“It’s not that it helped, but we know Osimhen is a big player, and if you retire him out of the team, they have a big miss in front, even though they have quality in front as well,” Sadiki told reporters after the game.

“We knew he was their star player; if he was out, it would not be easier, but another game. We practised penalties.”

Osimhen, 26, who had been in exceptional form throughout the qualifiers, scoring five goals in his last two matches before the final, was forced off due to injury during the first half, limiting Nigeria’s offensive threat and allowing DR Congo to capitalise defensively.

The Galatasaray striker featured for only 45 minutes before he was forced off, significantly impacting the Super Eagles’ attacking options for the remainder of the match.

Sadiki’s comments indicate just how vital Osimhen is to the Super Eagles and how his absence was felt keenly in such a high-stakes encounter. Despite Nigeria’s quality upfront, losing their talismanic striker shifted the dynamics in favour of the Leopards.