Okoye ruled out of Jordan friendly with thigh injury

Maduka Okoye has been ruled out of Nigeria’s international friendly against Jordan after sustaining a thigh injury in training, dealing the team another setback ahead of their final fixture in Antalya, Turkey.

The Super Eagles media team confirmed the development, stating that the goalkeeper suffered a knock in training and will miss Tuesday’s clash.

With Okoye unavailable, head coach Eric Chelle is expected to choose between Francis Uzoho and Adebayo Adeleye to start in goal.

The injury adds to a growing list of absentees in camp. Defenders Semi Ajayi and Bruno Onyemaechi have both left the squad—Ajayi due to injury concerns and Onyemaechi following the birth of his child. Earlier, Chibuike Nwaiwu was called up to replace the injured Calvin Bassey.

First-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali and striker Victor Osimhen were not part of the original squad, with Osimhen still recovering from surgery on a fractured forearm.

Despite the setbacks, Nigeria remain in high spirits after a 2-1 win over Iran, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams. The match also saw debut appearances for Nwaiwu and Emmanuel Fernandez as Chelle continues to assess his options ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Experienced players such as captain Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Simon remain key figures in the squad, while younger talents like Yira Sor push for more opportunities. A victory against Jordan would see Nigeria emerge champions of the four-nation tournament.

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