ALL things being equal, the responsibility of manning the goal post for the Super Eagles in today’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone is between Sparta Rot- terdam’s Maduka Okoye and Lugano’s goalkeeper, Sebastian Osigwe.
If the body language of coach Gernot Rohr is anything to go by, then Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa’s shotstopper, Dan Akpeyi, is out of consideration for the No 1 shirt in today’s clash.
Based on the training session on Wednesday evening, the battle for the first choice goalie for today’s match was clearly between Okoye and Osigwe.
Heartland FC of Owerri goalie, Ikechukwu Ezenwa was told to wait out the training after taking part in the initial drills, suggesting that he’s now ranked third choice by Rohr and goalkeeper coach, Alloy Agu; and it is something which does not come as a surprise considering the fact that Ezenwa has been inactive for sev- eral months due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has kept the Nigerian League on suspension since the lockdown.
Akpeyi, who was in goal against Benin and Lesotho last year, did not show up at the training staged at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, so it is looking likely he won’t dislodge Okoye from the starting lineup.
