W’Cup qualifiers: Full home in Uyo as Okoye joins Eagles
Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, joined his teammates late Wednesday evening in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, for the essential 2026 World Cup qualifiers towards South Africa and Benin Republic.
Okoye’s arrival means new gaffer Finidi George has the total complement of his 23-man squad for the essential qualifiers towards South Africa on Friday and Benin Republic on Monday.
Okoye was amongst eight gamers left stranded in Lagos and Abuja respectively on Monday following the nationwide strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress, which grounded flight operations nationwide.
The industrial motion threw common planning for the massive match off-gear, and the Nigeria Football Federation needed to go for chartered jet preparations to get the stranded gamers stranded all the way down to the Akwa Ibom State capital.
However, whereas the others arrived in Uyo on Tuesday, Okoye was nonetheless anticipated with the federation not stating causes for his delay in Abuja.
Confirming Okoye’s arrival in Uyo, Eagles media officer Promise Efoghe said on the group’s WhatsApp platform, “Update: Maduka Okoye has arrived at the Eagles nest. All 23 players in camp.”
According to the NFF, the vast majority of the match officers have been additionally booked for flights out of Abuja on Wednesday, with solely referee assessor Ahmed Sayed Abou Elela from Egypt resulting from arrive in Nigeria on Thursday.
Nigeria managed two factors from their opening two video games in Group C and should win each video games to face an opportunity of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup finals within the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Rwanda are the shock leaders of the group with 4 factors from two video games whereas the South Africans are second with three factors, one level forward of third-place Nigeria.
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