Super Eagles GK on win vs Liberia, clean sheet, UK-based players, Cape Verde's synthetic pitch

Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper Maduka Okoye was delighted to keep a clean sheet as the Super Eagles began their campaign in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers with a 2-0 win against Liberia, thanks to a first half brace from Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho.

The state of the Teslim Balogun Stadium pitch was a big talking point during the game and Okoye was obviously referring to the playing surface after he admitted that the Super Eagles won the game despite the 'difficult conditions'.

Speaking post-match, Okoye said : "Proper way to start the qualifiers and of course in front of own people. I am very happy the team performed very, very well under difficult conditions.

"We showed our qualities and of course on top a clean sheet is even better.

"The most important is the three points then after that for me a clean sheet is the second most important.

"When you don't concede a goal you already have one point so it's always good to have the zero."

Cape Verde, joint second in the Group C standings after the opening round, welcome the Super Eagles to the
Estádio Municipal Adérito Sena, a stadium with a synthetic pitch in Mindelo, on Tuesday, September 7.

"I think it's going to be a very good game against a very good opponent, and it's going to be an away game.

"We don't know yet what to expect with the pitch and the conditions but we still have a few days to prepare very well and I'm very sure we'll do that as a team together," said Okoye.

Of the eleven players manager Gernot Rohr named in his starting line-up against Liberia, six in the shape of Glasgow Rangers duo Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun, Leicester City's Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho, Everton winger Alex Iwobi and Watford's William Troost-Ekong have been ruled out of the trip to Cape Verde.

On missing his teammates based in the United Kingdom, Okoye said : "I am going to miss them but we have a very big team so I'm sure every player can do the same thing and I can't wait to be back on the pitch again".

Igho Kingsley