Former first choice goalkeeper of the senior national team of Nigeria Maduka Okoye was once again between the sticks for Udinese as they secure a 3-2 win over Parma which sends them to the top of the league table in Italy, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Okoye who became the first choice of the Italian side in the second half of last season kept his spot this season, and have been in goal in all of the five games they have played this season.
His fine form hasn’t helped him to regain his spot as the first choice of the Nigerian team, a role that is now that of Chippa United man Stanley Nwabali since the AFCON where Nigeria went all the way to the final before losing 1-2 to Cote d’Ivoire.
The 25 year old lost his spot after an howler at the 2021 AFCON, which led to the exit of Nigeria from the tournament in the round of 16 after a 0-1 loss to Tunisia. He was subjected to several backlash via social media making him to take some time away from the team.
It was why he missed the AFCON, something that left former captain of the Super Eagles Austine Okocha astonished as he sees him as the best goalkeeper for the Nigerian team.
“[Okoye] is the one keeper who has the type of training and football upbringing that we need in a goalkeeper in the national team. But he is excluded. It’s strange,” Okocha told BBC’s Osasu Obayiuwana in January.
“The way he was handled [after the Round of 16 game against Tunisia] talks about the quality of player management in the national team.”
With his superlative performance so far, Okocha will no doubt feel satisfied with his backing of the shot stopper when he was under fire from almost all quarters.
