By Adekunle Samuel
As Nigeria prepares for the upcoming 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, the Super Eagles find themselves grappling with a significant challenge—the perplexing decision of choosing a first-choice goalkeeper from the trio of Stanley Nwabili, Francis Uzoho, and Olorunleke Ojo. This decision not only holds the potential to shape the team’s fate in the tournament but has also sparked debates among fans and analysts.
Adding to the intrigue is the notable absence of Osayi Kingdom, the current standout goalkeeper for Doma United FC, who boasts an impressive record of 12 clean sheets from 17 matches in the ongoing Nigeria League. The exclusion of the 19-year-old goalkeeper has raised questions about the criteria employed by Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro in selecting goalkeepers, especially at a time when the team’s goalkeeping department Sfaces challenges.
Osayi Kingdom, born on June 3, 2004, expressed his belief in a recent media chat, that his time with the Super Eagles would come at the right moment. Despite the disappointment of not making the current squad, he remains optimistic about his future prospects with the national team. Having commenced his football journey at the age of 16 during the 2017/2018 season with Heartland FC, he moved on a free transfer to Giant Brllers in the 2019/2020 season.
Subsequently, in the 2020/2021 season, he made another free transfer, this time to Mountain of Fire and Miracle FC (MFM), before joining Doma United in the ongoing 2023/2024 season.
As the Super Eagles navigate the challenging decision of selecting their first-choice goalkeeper, the exclusion of Osayi Kingdom adds a layer of complexity to the situation. Fans and football enthusiasts await further insights into the coach’s decision-making process and anticipate how this goalkeeping dilemma will unfold during the 2023 AFCON tournament.
