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Rohr says Okoye is Super Eagles first-choice goalkeeper

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Gernot Rohr

Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr has opened up on his crew’s decision over which among the team’s goalkeepers is the first choice.

There have been concerns from fans and other stakeholders over the capabilities of the current set of goalkeepers representing Nigeria on the international level.

The Eagles have Daniel Akpeyi, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Maduka Okoye as choices to man the goal, with the trio being in the squad during their last outing.

Rohr has told ESPN in an interview that himself and goalkeeper trainer, Alloy Agu, have long picked Okoye as the most preferred.

“Number one is Maduka,” said Rohr

“These decisions, I take them with [Agu] because he is a specialist for goalkeeper training.

Read also: Goalkeepers Akpeyi, Ezenwa, Okoye yet to convince Nigerians —Shorunmu

“Myself and Alloy, we agreed that it’s actually Maduka. We have the experienced Akpeyi doing good matches with this club in South Africa.

“We have the young [Fracis Uzoho] coming back after injury, but he has to play also now not only on the bench. We have also [Matthew Yakubu]. There’s a good potential now because this position was a big problem for us so we have more now,” Rohr added.

Recall that Okoye was on goal when the Eagles squandered a four-goal lead to draw 4-4 with Sierra Leone in November 2020.

The Sparta Rotterdam shot stopper went on the keep a clean sheet in the away leg of the tie as both sides played goalless in the matchday four of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The Eagles will face Benin Republic and Lesotho in their final two games of the AFCON qualification campaign next month.

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