Okoye Withdraw from Super Eagles Friendly Games, AFCON Qualifiers

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has decided to pull out of Nigeria’s friendly games against Mexico and Ecuador respectively.

The Sparta Rotterdam goalkepper won’t be available for Nigeria when they take on Mexico and Ecuador respectively in two high profile international friendly games.

Okoye has communicated to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that he won’t be available but no reason was given for his absence per the time of filing in this report. Fueling talks of the goalkepper potentially quitting the national team.

He was largely targeted by a section of the Nigerian fans and media after the team’s round of 16 exit at the Africa Cup of Nations with many blaming him for the goal Tunisia scored, which decided the game.

Since after the tournament he hasn’t represented Nigeria as he made a last minute decision to shun the World Cup playoff against Ghana which ended Nigeria’s hope of qualifying for the showpiece in Qatar.

We further gathered that he will also miss the start of the AFCON 2023 qualifiers with Nigeria to take on Sierra Leone in Abuja before making the trip to play Mauritius.

His absence has opened the door for the duo of Akwa United Adewale Adeyinka and Ojo Olorunleke to stake a claim for the number one spot of the team.

Nigeria will clash with CONCACAF powerhouse Mexico at the AT & T Stadium in Dallas, the State of Texas on May 28 before heading to New Jersey to tackle Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison on June 2.

May 23, 2022