Ikpeba chooses Nwabali over Okoye as Nigeria's top goalkeeper spot

Victor Ikpeba, former Nigeria international, said Stanley Nwabali is the better goalkeeper compared to Maduka Okoye after Nigeria’s 2-1 win over Madagascar in an AFCON qualifier on Friday evening. Ikpeba stated that Nwabali demonstrated superior goalkeeping capabilities, describing him as the number one choice for the Super Eagles. He noted that Okoye, the Udinese keeper, had played in consecutive June friendlies but was unavailable for the Madagascar match due to his late arrival for international duty, which coach Chelle authorized so Okoye could attend an event sponsored by his Italian club.

Ikpeba praised Nwabali’s belief, determination and resolve during the game, saying the goalkeeper prevented a potential embarrassment that could have turned the 2-1 lead into a draw or a loss. He added that the Madagascar attacker might have fared worse if he possessed the technical skill Ikpeba had in his playing days.

The comment fuels the ongoing debate over Nigeria’s first‑choice goalkeeper ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. With both keepers in contention, fans and analysts are weighing recent form, consistency and tactical suitability.

If you were selecting the starting goalkeeper for the next qualifier, would you go with Nwabali’s recent showing or Okoye’s experience from the June fixtures?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/26/afcon-qualifiers-hes-better-ikpeba-chooses-between-nwabali-okoye/