Peseiro recalls Okoye for Saudi, Mozambique friendlies

Udinese goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, has been handed a recall to the Super Eagles for the friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique following the uncertainty over the availability of goalkeepers Adeleye Adebayo and Olorunleke Ojo.

Okoye returns to the Eagles fold for the first time since November 2022, when he was invited for the international friendly against Portugal in Lisbon.

Adebayo is based in Israel and will have to re-route his flight ticket, no thanks to the crisis at his base, while Ojo has yet to be granted entry visa into Portugal, where the friendlies will be played.

Cyprus-based Francis Uzoho is currently the only goalkeeper in the Eagles training camp in Portugal.

Okoye was at a time the Eagles’ first choice, but his time with the national team has been marred by costly blunders and threats to his life.

He has made 16 appearances for the Eagles and has kept six clean sheets for the three-time African champions.

The Eagles were still expecting the arrival of new invitee, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, as at the time of filing in this report.

Meanwhile, Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, as well as Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface trained with the rest of the squad in Portugal on Wednesday ahead of the friendlies.

Other players who took part in the training include Francis Uzoho, Tyronne Ebuehi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Joe Aribo, Kenneth Omeruo, Semi Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Jordan Torunarigha, Chidozie Awaziem and Wilfred Ndidi.

Others are Samuel Chukwueze, Raphael Onyedika, Sadiq Umar, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Terem Moffi and Ademola Lookman.

The Eagles will battle Saudi Arabia on Friday, before they face Mozambique next Monday in preparation for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe next month.