First Super Eagles of Nigeria star player to miss crucial World Cup qualifiers confirmed

Following the caller update provided by Nottingham Forest, Ola Aina is expected to miss the important 2026 World Cup qualifiers for Nigeria.

Ange Postecoglou has been dealt an aboriginal setback astatine Nottingham Forest aft defender Ola Aina sustained a superior hamstring wounded portion connected planetary work with Nigeria.

The 27-year-old full-back was forced disconnected conscionable 10 minutes into the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualifier against South Africa connected Tuesday. Subsequent scans person confirmed the wounded is much terrible than archetypal feared, ruling him retired until astatine slightest aboriginal December successful the best-case scenario.

Aina’s setback means helium volition not lone miss a important agelong of Forest’s play but besides Nigeria’s upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, scheduled for October 6, 2025.

The erstwhile Chelsea and Torino defender had featured successful each Premier League infinitesimal truthful acold this run and was a mainstay nether Nuno Espírito Santo past season. His lack prompted Forest to exclude him from their Premier League squad database submitted connected Thursday.

In response, striker Taiwo Awoniyi is present expected to beryllium added to the home squad to equilibrium the selection.

Postecoglou present faces a antiaircraft dilemma up of Forest’s travel to Arsenal. With caller signing Oleksandr Zinchenko ineligible to look his genitor club, Wales planetary Neco Williams could beryllium shifted from near to right-back, oregon £13m summertime accomplishment Nicolo Savona whitethorn beryllium handed a debut.

Looking up to Saturday’s clash astatine the Emirates, Postecoglou acknowledged the standard of the challenge:

“Every Premier League fixture is challenging. Against clubs that are challenging for honours oregon others that are warring for different things, it’s a large game. Mikel [Arteta] has got them disconnected to a bully start. I deliberation they’ve strengthened implicit the summertime for sure. They’re a stronger squad than they were past twelvemonth truthful they volition beryllium a large situation for us.”

Postecoglou’s archetypal 4 matches successful complaint are each distant from home, starting with Arsenal, followed by a Carabao Cup necktie astatine Swansea, a league travel to Burnley, and past the opening of Forest’s Europa League run distant astatine Real Betis.

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