Rohr Handed Injury Boost Ahead Of Post-AFCON Friendly Against Ukraine

Published: August 26, 2019

Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr has been handed an injury boost ahead of his side's first international match of the 2019-2020 season, with Fortuna Düsseldorf youth-teamer Maduka Okoye returning to action for his German club.

The teenage goalkeeper had undergone surgery in the summer which saw him miss Fortuna Düsseldorf II's first four matches in the Regionalliga West against SV Lippstadt 08, Alem. Aachen, Bonner SC and TuS Haltern.

Okoye was back in between the pipes as Fortuna Düsseldorf II beat Schalke 04 II 2-1 on Saturday, August 24 and the good news is that he came through the game unscathed without suffering any recurrence of his injury.

He will need the approval of Fortuna Düsseldorf to travel to Dnipro to join the Super Eagles as their reserve team have two official games to play during the international break.

Though the invitation of Okoye to the Super Eagles has been questioned by several stakeholders, it must be said that he was impressive in his first appearance of the season against Schalke 04 II.

In the first half, he saved efforts from Mark Uth and Alessandro Schöpf and prevented the opponents from equalising in the 70th minute when he tipped a shot over the bar.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : instagram.com/madukaokoye