Sparta Rotterdam of Holland goalkeeper Maduka Okoye will start in goal against Sierra Leone on Friday, reports Completesports.com
The 21-year-old was in goal in Nigeria’s last two games against African champions Algeria and Carthage Eagles of Tunisia.
Okoye has performed admirably during all the team’s training sesssion and will get the nod ahead of three other goalkeepers; Daniel Akpeyi, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Sebastian Osigwe.
Read Also: Okoye Eager To Make Super Eagles Home Debut
“Okoye is the number one choice for now. He has impressed in training and all things being equal will start against Sierra Leone, ” a reliable camp source told Completesports.com.
“Akpeyi’s late arrival has made things difficult for him and there is no way he will get nod ahead of Okoye especially with just one training session.
Okoye made his debut in Nigeria’s 1-1 friendly draw against five-time world champions Brazil.
He has been capped three times by Nigeria.
By Adeboye Amosu, in Benin City
21 Comments
And we want to see Osigwe too given up to 15 minutes please after a comfortable lead.
That can be possible because we’re not playing friendly match.There is no room for experiment this is a qualifying game 3point is at stake
we nigerians wanted to see this line up.
Okoye
aina. balogun. ekong. saidu.
ebuehi, aribo, etebo.
iheanacho, osimhen, iwobi.
Most likely lineup:
OKOYE
Awaziem. Ekong. Leon. Zaidu
Ajayi
Etebo.
Aribo.
Chukwueze. Iwobi.
Osimhen.
Please GErnot Rohr,try to be giving chances to newly invited players after comfortable winning and quick substitute.We don’t want this(late substitution & not using new invited player after comfortable winning) to b repeating itself again. We want to be seeing players that will be making us happy while watching.
Please test OSIGWE in any of the two matches.
Nice one @Sportsfan…. I will love this against a stronger side
3-4-3
Okoye
Egong – Leon – Akpoguma
Aina – Etebo – Aribo – Sanusi
Chukwueze – Osimhen – Iwobi
but for tomorrow game I will just remove Akpoguma and place Iheanacho behind Osimhen…
in a 4 – 2 – 1 – 3 system with the fullbacks being highly offensive…
May be you are yet to understand Rohr. Unless something beyond his control happens, I don’t think he will give another goalkeeper a chance in the two matches. He will want Okoye to consolidate on that position. The way I see it, he is moulding the young man for the next AFCON and World Cup. The only thing that can stop the young man is…. if he becomes inactive at club level, loses form, gets injured or a goal keeper who is better suddenly emerges.
I’m very sure Rohr likes the young man. And I like him too. He is very patriotic. He is one of the first two players that arrived SE camp. Worthy of note is the fact that at 18years, he had already agreed to play for Nigeria….. unlike some others who are 25years and more, but still doing shakara for Nigeria
Can iwobi play 50mins?
No, he can only play 10mins or probably 5mins because he is pregnant… Yeye man. Lolz
which kind of lineup am I seeing? so if you were there coach this what you will do?
for example, @victor, are you saying if you are the gaffer you would play ebuehi as a midfielder?! I personally hope you meant ajayi. and you placed Iheanacho a winger, don’t you guys watch epl games at all?! the only position Iheanacho can play in are second striker (first), then main striker, and attacking midfielder. if you doubt, ask all the coaches that have tried him as a winger or side midfielder. Iheanacho played so badly he was dropped to reserve, even rohr tried it and never again against Algeria in world cup qualifier (1-1).
I say this in the most respectful manner
Nonsense over sabi they worry some people. What the hell is their problem with the line up as if they are the coach.
Guys, As a matter of fact, OKOYE is a very young talented Keeper with a bright future ahead of him, OGA ROHR want to build SE Team with him as the number One(1) short stopper,
And it’s quite understood that the young guy will do well as time goes on, We wish him all the best with Super Eagles for tomorrow’s game and the next week in Free Town – Sierra Leone.
NFF always suffer this boyz, why them go carry international match like this go small pitch? how can players express they self so that they can show they skills
I see the future number goal keeper unraveling in Maduka Okoye and he is being groomed for it.
Just watching Algeria vs Zimbabwe, the fact that we lost to Algeria is beyond me i swear. Zimbabwe should be leading them if not for poor finishing and naivety. I bet if we play them again we will beat them. Nothing special about them, they keep the ball good but nothing else. We need to be physical with them and don’t give them space to play. Zimbabwe tho not technically smart are very physical, they have created tons of chances and the Desert Foxes are having problem dealing with the physical nature of the Zimbabwean team. If 9ja players have half the opportunities presented to Zimbabwe, we will beat them like we did in 9ja in the worldcup qualifiers. And they are parading their best players today against Zimbabwe. As am typing Mahrez just scored, they are now 3;0 up, the scoreline truly flatters Algeria, its not the true reflection of the game imho.
Did you see the algeria pitch…how come they are able to have beautiful grass like that and we are not able to in Nigeria
U are right, the pitch is impeccable, but that doesn’t negate the fact that Zimbabwe could have been up by atleast 2 goals had they been a little clinical infront of goal. The goals scored by Algeria were just gifts imho. Algerian defenders are struggling to deal with high press by the Zimbabwean players and also high balls.
Bovi, 3-0 up and they have all the ball, don’t worry you have said it all
Please which game were u watching. or how did algeria score 3 goals. Zimbabwe were pressing too hard and the algerians took advantage of there slow pace to recover.
@Kenneth, please watch the game again if you can and not the highlights from YouTube. Like I said earlier the Algerians had more possession of the ball but the goals they scored were gifts from the Zimbabwean team. The 1st goal scored by Bounedjah was a gift by the goalie who instead of partying the shot from Fegouli to the side, he parried it to the middle where Bounedjah tapped in. The 2nd goal which was a header from a cross by Mahrez was another gift cos of naivety by the defender who instead of closing Fegouli down let him waltz in a headed the ball. Mahrez’ goal was also a gift. Now, the 1st chance for the Zimbabweans was an clear one in the 1st minute which forward struck against the foot of the goalie, that could have been a goal had it been a better striker. Their 2nd chance was a header from a whipped ball but instead of a glancing header, he guy header it over the bar, unmarked. There was another with the guy set clear on goal (one on one with d goalie) but he missed it. They had a legitimate penalty call where the goalie kinda brought down the forward but tge referee didn’t see it. if VAR was used it could have been a penalty. They scored a lovely goal by chipping the goalie. They had plenty of chances that if these were presented to SE strikers like osimen or iheanacho would have resulted in goals. Bro if Zimbabwe had converted their chances it would have been a different ball game. But if you think I didn’t see the game, then its OK. I still think they gave the Algerians he’ll especially in the 2nd half but lack of belief and naivety caused them the game today. To me Algeria were lucky today to have won, against a more clinical team the result would have been different. Its my opinion anyway and u may have seen it differently which is fine too.
3:1 Zimbabwe just scored.