Why Dele Alampasu Was Not Invited For World Cup Qualifier Vs Zambia

Young CD Feirense goalkeeper Dele Alampasu was omitted from Nigeria's latest roster announced earlier this week because the local football governing body, Nigeria Football Federation, wanted to cut costs.

Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr replaced Alampasu in the roster by extending an invitation to home-based Plateau United goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye, with Chippa United star Daniel Akpeyi making a return to the squad after recovering from injury.

''Dele Alampasu not getting called up has nothing to do with his lack of game time at CD Feirense, he was not playing for the club when he was earlier invited to the Super Eagles,'' a top source close to the Nigerian Federation told allnigeriasoccer.com.

''Either Daniel Akpeyi or Ikechukwu Ezenwa will be in goal against Zambia, and the third goalkeeper is only a training material.

''It is more cost effective to invite Dele Ajiboye instead of Alampasu. They will have to buy him flight tickets from Portugal to Nigeria, that's why Ajiboye was preferred.''

Dele Alampasu has made CD Feirense's match day squad three times in the current season, but has been left out of the 18 in the last three games.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel