WC qualifier: Gabon Coach Mouyouma prepares special plan to stop osimhen

Boluwatife Kehinde
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‎Gabon’s head coach, Thierry Mouyouma, has revealed that he has drawn up a special tactical plan to contain Nigeria’s prolific striker, Victor Osimhen, whom he described as a lethal and unpredictable hitman.
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‎As Gabon prepares for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff against the Super Eagles on November 13, Mouyouma acknowledged the huge challenge posed by Osimhen, who is currently in outstanding form in Europe. The Napoli forward sits atop the UEFA Champions League goalscoring chart after scoring a hat-trick against Ajax Amsterdam on Wednesday.
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‎Despite featuring in only five matches during the World Cup qualifying campaign, Osimhen has already scored six goals, underlining his immense influence on Nigeria’s attack.
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‎Speaking at a press conference, Mouyouma said, ‎“We can’t defend against him the same way we would any other striker. The question is — how do you actually stop a player like him?
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‎“He’s unpredictable, always looking to make runs behind defenders. Closing the spaces behind our backline will be vital, but even when you manage that, he’s still dangerous from set pieces and corners.
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‎“That’s what makes this challenge so complex, and it’s also what makes coaching exciting. We’ll analyze every detail, discuss as a team, and agree on the best defensive strategy.
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‎“Nigeria might choose to sit deep, so we’ll need to push the game into their half and control possession there. That’s the key to solving this problem.”