Nwabali Conceded Three, And Okoye Posted Something Cryptic
Lagos · Thursday 1 October 2026
Stanley Nwabali conceded three times against Guinea-Bissau, and within a day Maduka Okoye had shared a cryptic post on Instagram that fans read as a comment on his rival. Victor Ikpeba, who ranked Nwabali first choice last week, has defended him and blamed the defence in front of him.
What we wrote on Saturday
Our piece after the Madagascar win said a clean sheet in Bissau would do more for Nwabali's case than any pundit's ranking, and a mistake there would undo Friday entirely. He did not get the clean sheet. Whether he made a mistake is the argument now raging, and the honest answer from the reporting is that the goals came mainly from the defence being opened up.
| The case for Nwabali | The case against |
|---|---|
| Ikpeba says the defence failed him | Three conceded in a must-not-lose game |
| Saved Nigeria against Madagascar | Four goals conceded in two games |
| Chelle has kept faith so far | Okoye is available and waiting |
Goalkeepers concede goals that are not their fault. They are still blamed for them.
The goalkeeper debate is a symptom. The disease is a defence that conceded first in both games.
What Chelle should do
Pick one, tell both of them why, and stop the question being asked every international window. Nigeria have two games in November that decide the campaign. They need a goalkeeper who knows he is the goalkeeper, whichever one that is.
Reporting: Legit.ng and GhanaSoccernet.
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