Serie A: Maduka Okoye secures spot in Team of the Week despite AFCON 2023 omission

Maduka Okoye made his Super Eagles debut on 19th October 2019, in Nigeria’s friendly 1-1 draw against Brazil under the tutelage of the then coach, Gernot Rohr.

Super Eagles and Udinese goalkeeper, Maduka Emilio Okoye, has been included in Serie A’s team of the week after a stellar display in their clash against Atalanta, Soccernet.ng reports.

Maduka, 24, moved to Udinese at the start of the season and has been second choice for most of the season until recently and has remained in goal for the club’s past five games.

In that time, the German-born Nigerian has kept one clean sheet and conceded nine goals and is using his absence from the National team to build his confidence after being out of action for a very long while.

The former Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper made nine saves in Udinese’s 2-0 loss against Atalanta, who were without their talisman, Ademola Lookman who is on International duty with Nigeria at the AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast.

Despite conceding two goals, Maduka was kept busy all afternoon and without him, it would have been a downpour of goals against Gabriele Cioffi’s men.

Nigeria Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC) was named in Serie A Team of the Week.

Okoye is getting back stronger 💪🏼#NaijaBallers #NigeriaFootball pic.twitter.com/60zwSA0fTW

— Nigeria Report Football (@NReportfootball) January 30, 2024

Maduka was in goal during the previous edition of the AFCON tournament hosted in Cameroon but wasn’t called up by Jose Peseiro for the current edition, with the Portuguese opting for the trio of Olorunleke Ojo, Stanley Nwabali and Francis Uzoho.

In Maduka’s absence, Nwabali has kept three clean sheets and conceded one goal at the AFCON 2023 tournament in Ivory Coast, keeping the backline tight and reliable.