Super Eagles of Nigeria are slated to be without Stanley Nwabali in the squad for the first time since his heroic display at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, Soccernet.ng reports.
Following this, Udinese goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, is set to return to action for the Nigerian national team, with Nwabali being excused from camp following his father’s death.
This marks his first appearance since his appearances for the Nigerian Eagles at the 2021 AFCON tournament, where they lost 1-nil to Tunisia in the round of 16.
This followed a lot of criticism from the fans who blamed his mistakes for Nigeria’s exit and the former Watford goalkeeper giving himself a self-imposed exile from the squad.
As the Nigerian national team prepares for upcoming fixtures, recent stats have shown Okoye’s strong record compared to his counterparts, Francis Uzoho and Stanley Nwabali.
Okoye, currently playing for Udinese, boasts a remarkable record for Nigeria with 16 appearances, having conceded just 11 goals while keeping 8 clean sheets. This impressive record places him in a strong position ahead of his return to the national team.
In comparison, Francis Uzoho, who has been the go-to goalkeeper for Nigeria in recent years, has made 35 appearances. However, Uzoho has conceded 35 goals and managed only 13 clean sheets in that period, recalling a higher goals-to-games ratio than Okoye.
Stanley Nwabali, who has also had a solid run with the Super Eagles, has made 17 appearances, conceding 17 goals and keeping 7 clean sheets. While Nwabali’s numbers are commendable, Okoye’s record of conceding fewer goals in more games makes him an appealing option for Nigeria’s number-one goalkeeper spot.
While the Super Eagles aim for success in their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Okoye’s return could provide a much-needed boost to the team’s defensive setup.