Arthur Okonkwo gave Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle another reason to take notice before Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after producing another assured display for Charlton Athletic in their goalless draw with Portsmouth on Saturday, Footynaija.com reports.
The goalkeeper had already been handed a fresh opportunity to push for Nigeria’s No. 1 shirt after Chelle recalled him for the September qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, but his latest club performance provided a timely reminder of what he can offer.
Okonkwo has now kept two consecutive Championship clean sheets after Charlton followed their 4-0 defeat at Stoke City with back-to-back 0-0 draws against QPR and Portsmouth. His response to the heavy Stoke loss is particularly encouraging, with the Nigeria international standing firm in both games.
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The 25-year-old has started all five of Charlton’s Championship matches since joining on loan from Wrexham and has made 17 saves, with a 73.9 per cent save rate. He also kept nine clean sheets in 39 Championship appearances for Wrexham last season, showing that his current run is part of a longer record of consistency at this level.
Okonkwo stands firm as Charlton hold Portsmouth
Portsmouth created enough opportunities to make the contest uncomfortable for Charlton, but Okonkwo dealt with the danger when his defence was breached.
He was tested twice in quick succession at the start of the second half. First, he got down to save Abu Kamara’s low effort from outside the box, before making another stop moments later when Kamara tried again from a difficult angle on the right.
His most important intervention came in the 79th minute when he denied Adrian Segečić from inside the box after Colby Bishop had created the opening. Okonkwo stayed big and held the effort in the centre of his goal to keep Charlton level.
That clean sheet was his second in a row and gave Charlton a point after the side had conceded four at Stoke only a week earlier. The result also maintained the club’s unbeaten home record in the Championship this season.
The timing is useful for Okonkwo. His two senior Nigeria appearances came in May, when he kept clean sheets against Zimbabwe and Jamaica, but the September games will be his first competitive qualifiers with the Super Eagles.
Chelle still has Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye to consider, so Okonkwo cannot rely on his previous clean sheets alone. But another strong performance in England gives him something more usefu.
