Dessers out for Three Months as injury hits Super Eagles AFCON campaign

Super Eagles striker, Cyriel Dessers, has been ruled out for up to three months after sustaining a thigh injury during Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign, head coach Eric Chelle has confirmed.

Dessers was forced to withdraw from the tournament after picking up the injury, dealing a major blow to Nigeria’s attacking options as the team prepares for Monday’s round of 16 clash against Mozambique.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Sunday, Chelle disclosed that the forward could be sidelined for as long as 12 weeks.

“Dessers spoke with me this morning. He has an injury and will be out for maybe 10 to 12 weeks,” the Super Eagles coach said.

“I’m disappointed for him. We need to play a good game for him tomorrow. We have work to do and must focus on playing a great game.”

The injury setback means Dessers has again missed the opportunity to feature for Nigeria at a major international tournament. The development compounds his frustration following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.

The striker’s absence was already noticeable in the Super Eagles’ final group match against Uganda, where he neither featured nor appeared on the matchday squad. Chelle later confirmed that Dessers was scheduled for an MRI scan after complaining of thigh discomfort.

Meanwhile, the coach provided a more encouraging update on defender Ryan Alebiosu, who sustained a deep cut to his right leg during his cap-tying appearance against Uganda.

“Ryan will come back maybe in a few days,” Chelle said. “The injury was serious, but he is fine now. He is improving every day and should begin running today. We will assess him day by day.”

Despite the injury setbacks, Nigeria will be aiming to refocus and secure a place in the quarter-finals when they face Mozambique, as they seek to avoid a repeat of their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations disappointment in Cameroon, where they were eliminated at the round of 16 stage despite finishing top of their group.