Due to a knee injury, Nigerian forward Asisat Oshoala will miss the remainder of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
A medial ligament injury sustained during Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to South Africa on Monday forced the four-time and current African Women’s Footballer of the Year to withdraw from the competition.
After scoring 20 league goals for Barcelona, the 27-year-old recently took home Spain’s Pichichi award. He was anticipated to support the Super Falcons in their attempt to defend their continental championship in Morocco.
Oshoala sustained the injury in the first minutes of the Group C match, but she continued to play for another hour before being replaced in the 82nd minute.
According to the Nigeria Football Federation, Oshoala would be traveling back to Spain on Thursday after having scans revealed a grade two medial collateral ligament lesion (NFF).
A team official predicted that the former Arsenal and Liverpool player will be out “for several weeks” due to the injury.
Nigeria now has a 24-player roster after losing to South Africa in their initial match due to Oshoala’s injury.
South Africa and Botswana both play again on Thursday against Nigeria and Burundi, with Botswana leading Group C on goal differential.
