Nigeria have suffered a scare ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations semi-final after star striker Victor Osimhen was unable to travel.
The Super Eagles are set to take on South Africa in Bouaké, Ivory Coast on Wednesday as they bid to reach their first AFCON final since 2013.
Napoli striker Osimhen – who has one goal in the tournament so far – didn’t make the trip with the Nigeria squad after suffering ‘abdominal discomfort’.
He will be assessed by Nigeria’s medical team in the Ivory Coast’s capital Abidjan with a view to joining up with his team-mates on Tuesday.
A Nigeria statement reported by The Athletic read: ‘Members of the team travelled from Abidjan to Bouaké today via a 10pm Air Cote D’Ivoire flight. Osimhen did not however make the trip as a result of abdominal discomfort.
Victor Osimhen did not travel with the Nigeria squad ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations semi-final with South Africa after reporting ‘abdominal discomfort’
The Napoli striker celebrates with Ademola Lookman after the winger scored against Cameroon in the last-16
‘Team medics confirmed that he has been placed under close watch with a member of the medical team staying behind in Abidjan with him.
‘If cleared by tomorrow morning, he will join the rest of the squad before 5pm.’
Osimhen, 25, has featured in all five of Nigeria’s games a the AFCON and scored their equaliser in the group stage opener against Equatorial Guinea.
That game finished 1-1, before Nigeria beat the hosts 1-0 and Guinea-Bissau 1-0 to finish second in Group A.
Two goals by English-born Ademola Lookman sealed a 2-0 win over Cameroon in the last-16 and the Atalanta winger netted again to see off Angola 1-0 in the quarters.
The winner of the Nigeria vs South Africa match will take on either Ivory Coast or DR Congo in Sunday’s final.
Lookman scored Nigeria’s winning goal as they saw off Angola in the quarter-finals
