Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has assured Nigerians that the absence of some of Premier League stars won’t stop the team from defeating Cape Verde in Tuesday’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers at the at the Estadio Municipal Aderito Sena, Mindelo.
Recall that Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Leon Balogun, William Ekong, Oghenekaro Etebo and Joe Aribo have been exempted from the game due to UK covid-19 rule that placed Cape Verde as a red-zone.
Nigeria are currently top of Group C after defeating Liberia 2-0 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium while Cape Verde played a 1-1 draw against Central Africa Republic (CAR).
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The Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper reacting to their absence, stated that the Super Eagles will so everything to make Nigeria proud.
“We will miss them (the absentee players), but we have a big team and the other players can do the same.
“We will prepare as a team very well, it will be a good match against a good opponent in Cape Verde,” Okoye said.
5 Comments
With 8 of our guaranteed starters not available, the CPV game opens up an opportunity for the benchers to prove that their places on the SE bench wan not deserved.
We have heard all sorts of insinuations here of how Omeruo is the best SE defender at the moment…how Awaziem is better than Ekong….how Shehu is only filling quotas in the SE and has no business in the national team…..how Onyekuru is the x-factor player we are lacking…..how Ejuke is the next Jayjay okocha…..and so on.
Ngwanu, an opportunity has opened up for 7 fringe players to stand up and be counted in the absence of our regular starters
Dr. Drey you just nailed it. They have good quality too. But we need to see their qualities on the pitch of play. Really I believe omerou and awaziem should show their stuff. Omerou is the most experienced defender in SE. He should come to the party.
Awaziem also has experience and quality, he should show his stuff.
My fear is the midfield.
Our attack will kill them. Kalu is back and is hungry. Ejuke will torment them. We still have Simon and onyekuru and oshimen and onuachu.
We need to get it right in the middle. Rohr has to motivate then and give them a concrete instruction to follow. The match is winnable.
cape verde defeated cameroun 3-1 this year. they have 2 naturalised brazilians in their team very good side.
They will give our 1st team problems
Well thought @Dr Drey.
Hopefully the coach uses them well
Its time to see if our bench is as strong as our first 11. Good luck to the team.