'They had a big miss in front' - DR Congo defender confirms Osimhen’s injury changed the game against the Super Eagles

DR Congo defender and Sunderland full back Noah Sadiki has confirmed that Victor Osimhen’s injury during the World Cup playoff final gave his team a significant advantage over the Super Eagles.

Osimhen, 26, featured for only 45 minutes before he was forced off as the Leopards of Congo came from a goal down to beat the Super Eagles 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 extra time draw on Sunday night.

Osimhen, 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.

Speaking in a video on X shortly after the match, Sadiki 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 said.

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

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.

This admission from a key DR Congo defender shows the challenges Nigeria faced and sheds light on one of the turning points in their painful playoff defeat.