Chelle axes goalkeeper Okoye from plans

Super Eagles have left out Udinese No 1 goalkeeper Maduka Okoye from next month’s all-important 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

Maduka Okoye was not listed by coach Eric Chelle on the provisional squad for the qualifiers possibly because of inactivity.

The goalkeeper has been sidelined since December, when he underwent surgery for a hand injury.

This week, he returned to training, but this may have been late in coming ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.

It must also be recalled that he is under investigation for alleged match-fixing by the Italian authorities.

Okoye made his Super Eagles return in November in a 2-1 home loss to Rwanda after he was frozen out of the team since his blunder eliminated Nigeria in the Round of 16 of the delayed 2021 AFCON in Cameroon three years ago.