Osimhen's Absence in Penalty Shootout Explained by Coach

In the AFCON 2025 semifinals, Nigeria's head coach Eric Chell explained that Victor Osimhen did not take a penalty against Morocco due to fitness concerns. Osimhen was substituted late in extra time, and Paul Onuachu replaced him as the designated penalty taker.

Chell noted that Osimhen had informed him of his inability to practice penalties effectively during training sessions, which influenced the decision. Nigeria lost the match 4-2 in the penalty shootout, sparking debate among fans about the absence of their star player in the shootout.

The first kick was converted by Onuachu, but subsequent misses from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyeamachi proved costly. Chell did not elaborate on why Alex Iwobi, a leader in the squad, did not step up for a penalty.

Despite the disappointment of missing the final, Nigeria secured a bronze medal by defeating Egypt in the third-place playoff, employing a strategy where players accepted responsibility for penalty kicks.