Theophilus Afelokhai is in a dilemma over two very important assignments which he has a key role to play in. His club, Enyimba International have an important CAF Champions League tie in Egypt against Zamalek, a match they must win to remain in the run for the semi-finals and then the Ramon de Carranza Trophy for which he is one of the three goalkeepers selected for the trip.
Afelokhai was one of the players Enyimba International FC brought in at the start of the season for their league title defence and CAF Champions League campaign. Before arriving at the Aba side, Afelokhai had spent eight seasons at Kano Pillars where he helped them to four league titles and now the experienced goalkeeper, who is among the 23 NPFL All-Star team bound for Spain to play in the Trofeo Carranza LaLiga World Club Tournament believes that while his inclusion in the team are the reward of consistency and hard work, there is also the responsibility to be in between the sticks for Enyimba’s crucial continental fixture.
“I am thinking of the two important competitions, which is playing for my team against Zamalek and making the Spanish tourney as well. But whatever the trips will look like, I am very ready to make the movements and ensure I achieve successes," said Afelokhai.
The shot-stopper alongside Ikechukwu Ezenwa of FC Ifeanyiubah and Chukwuemeka Nwabulu of Wikki Tourists are goalkeepers shortlisted by head coach, Salisu Yusuf, for the tourney, which is one of the outcomes of the recent technical and commercial partnership signed by the League Management Company (LMC), managers of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and LaLiga of Spain.
He believes that this maiden tournament is a good initiative that will expose the qualities in the NPFL players to international scouts and also show that the NPFL is very competitive.
“First, I praise the LMC for securing this partnership with their La Liga counterpart. You can see that this is a partnership for greener future.
“Second, the technical bench has selected the best legs based on current club performances. Our preparation is geared towards delivering the best results and not going to Spain to make up the numbers. We see the task as a national assignment; hence we are determined to play for the nation,” he told npfl.ng.
Afelokhai is one of longest-serving goalkeepers in the NPFL having spent eight years at former champions, Kano Pillars and was a part of the glorious team that helped the Sai Masu Gida to win three league titles in a row. His only international engagement was with the national Under-23 team during the London 2012 qualifiers, where they won 3-1 on home soil and crashed out after a 0-2 lost to Black Meteors in Ghana.
The Peoples Elephant are struggling in the money-spinning stage of CAF inter clubs competition without a single point after two matches and will be guests of Egyptian champions, Zamalek SC in a make or break tie in Cairo. The Aba side must win this match to improve their qualification chances to the last four. Zamalek won the first leg 1-0 in Port Harcourt.
The NPFL All-Star will jet out for the tournament in Spain on August 8. The team’s first match will be a friendly against Valencia CF on August 10 from 8.30pm Nigerian time. They face Malaga CF same time on August 12, should the team go beyond the semifinal stage, they will have the chance to play in the final. But failure to win the tie against Malaga will hand them a losers’ final fixture against Cadiz or UEFA Champions League runners-up, Atletico Madrid. The final and losers final fixtures will hold on August 13.
The matches involving NPFL All-Star will be televised live on African Independent Television (AIT) and the NPFL broadcast partners, SuperSport.