Super Eagles goalkeeper Noble John has come to the defense of his compatriot Maduka Okoye after the latter failed to stop a long-range effort in the closing stages of that 2-2 draw against Poland, Footynaija.com reports.
Okoye returned to his position between the sticks, displacing Arthur Okonkwo who gave a very decent account of himself during Nigeria’s Unity Cup triumph where he played two matches without conceding any goal.
It was a particularly impressive outing for the Udine based shot-stopper as he produced a series of brilliant saves especially in the second half to deny Poland’s legendary hitman Robert Lewandowski on a number of occasions.
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However, all of Okoye’s hard work came undone with seconds left to go in the game as he could do nothing to stop a long-range effort from Przemyslaw Wisniewski in the 95th minute.
In the face of multiple criticisms over Okoye’s failure to prevent that effort from hitting the back of the net, Noble has come to the defense of his fellow shot-stopper, insisting that the Udinese man had an outstanding game and Wisniewski’s striker would’ve beaten most goalkeepers.
John Noble insists Maduka Okoye not to blame after Poland goal
“Maduka Okoye is a fantastic goalkeeper, I must say. He is someone I’ve worked with in the national team, and he is deeply committed to his work and always disciplined,” he told Footy Africa.
“One thing about football—especially for those of us who are goalkeepers—is that people don’t remember the saves you make. Whenever you concede a goal, they immediately want to judge or find fault, which isn’t fair to us.
“I’ve watched the video of that particular goal over and over again. When you are positioned in your post and a shot is taken from long range, those shots often beat goalkeepers because the ball swerves and suddenly changes direction just as it gets close to you.
“In goalkeeping, a tiny slip or a slight movement of the ball can change the entire situation. It is rarely as simple as people think from the outside.
“For me, I am not blaming him for that goal at all. The guy has been doing well for us. Just like me, if I play a game and concede, I go back after the match to analyze how it happened and work on myself to avoid it in the next game.
“I think he has already done that analysis on his own. All he needs right now is our encouragement and support. I believe that with him in goal, the Super Eagles will go far. He has my support every day.”
Nigeria will now turn attention to their preparations for the upcoming game against Portugal on the 10th of June, with Okoye expected to once more play a key role between the sticks.
