Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been ruled out of the World Cup playoffs against the Black Stars of Ghana.
An update from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Tuesday afternoon, said the Sparta Rotterdam shot-stopper is sitting out of the two-legged tango due to illness.
The NFF said Enyimba International goalkeeper John Noble has been called as a replacement.
Noble is expected to hit camp on Wednesday after which the team departs for Kumasi via a chartered flight.
Update! Maduka Okoye out of the clash against Ghana due to illness, he has been replaced by Enyimba FC goalkeeper, John Noble. Get well soon Maduks! #SoarSuperEagles pic.twitter.com/uS2FToJR3y
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) March 22, 2022
Maduka – who has received a lot of flak from a section of the Super Eagles fans since their Afcon 2021 exit – becomes the second player after Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi to pull out of Nigeria’s early-released squad to face the Black Stars.
2022 WCQ Playoffs: Nigeria replace injured Ndidi with Innocent Bonke to face Ghana
The first leg of the Ghana-Nigeria clash is set for the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Friday, March 25 with the reverse at Moshood Abiola Stadium next week Tuesday.
