Daniel Akpeyi

Daniel Akpeyi

Akpeyi at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
Date of birth	(1986-08-03) 3 August 1986 (age 37) [1]
Place of birth	Nnewi, Nigeria
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) [1]
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Moroka Swallows
Number	16
Youth career
	Gabros International
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2007	Gabros International
2007–2010	Nasarawa United
2010–2014	Heartland
2014–2015	Warri Wolves
2015–2019	Chippa United	92	(0)
2019–2022	Kaizer Chiefs	57	(0)
2022–	Moroka Swallows	12	(0)
International career‡
2016	Nigeria Olympic (O.P.)	1	(0)
2015–2021	Nigeria	18	(0)
Medal record Representing   Nigeria Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team Africa Cup of Nations 2019 Egypt
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 September 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:33, 2 April 2021 (UTC)

Daniel Akpeyi (born 3 August 1986) is a Nigerian professional footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for South African club Moroka Swallows F.C.. ^[2]

Club career

Akpeyi began his career with Gabros International F.C. and was promoted to the first team in 2005, but moved to Nasarawa United F.C. in January 2007. He was an undisputed starter for both clubs.

Akpeyi joined Heartland F.C. for their 2010 CAF Champions League campaign, and was again first-choice. In February 2014, it was announced that he had left Heartland to join league rivals Warri Wolves, ^[3] but a few days later, Heartland denied the move by an official statement, stating that they had no intention to sell their first choice goalkeeper. ^[4]

In the following month, however, the deal was confirmed again and Akpeyi joined Warri Wolves. ^{[5] [6]}

In 2015, he signed a two-year deal with Chippa. ^[7]

In 2019, he signed with Kaizer Chiefs (nicknamed the Amakhosi).

After speaking to Nigerian national team coach Gernot Rohr about Akpeyi’s qualities, Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp saw to it that the Amakhosi management signed the Chippa United goalkeeper. ^[8] Akpeyi went on to keep nine clean sheets in the league for Chiefs in the 2019/20 season. This remains the most clean sheets kept by a Chiefs goalkeeper in a league season since Itumeleng Khune kept 16 clean sheets in the 2017/18 league season. ^[9] Akpeyi was also named Absa Premiership Player of the Month for September and October in 2019. ^[10]

After being without a club in 2022, he was fancied by Sekhukhune United but the deal failed to materialise.

Personal life

Akpeyi married his long time girl friend Emmanuella Ebert-Kalu in December 2016. In July 2018, they welcomed their first child, Prince Jason Akpeyi, who was born in Port Elizabeth. He is credited for founding the Daniel Akpeyi Children Empowerment Foundation (Dacef) the non profitable organization was founded in 2020. The foundation aim is to help develop Africa by helping the less privileged children get quality Education.

Recently, the Dacef reached out to people in the locations of Gauteng, Johannesburg during the Covid19 worldwide lockdown.

International career

Akpeyi with Nigeria in 2017

Akpeyi was a member of the Nigeria national under-20 football team at 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in Netherlands and was in the 22-man squad before the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, but did not see action in either tournament. He was also called up to the 23-man squad for the 2014 African Nations Championship as a backup to Chigozie Agbim. ^[11]

On 6 May 2014, Akpeyi was named in the 30-man provisional squad ahead of 2014 FIFA World Cup. ^[12]

He made his first full cap in 2015, called in for the friendly vs. South Africa as a replacement for an injured Vincent Enyeama. He saved a penalty and was lauded for his strong keeping in his Man of the Match performance. ^[13]

He was selected by Nigeria for their 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics. ^[14]

In May 2018 he was named in Nigeria's preliminary 30-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. ^[15]

Akpeyi was included in the team's final 23-man list to 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. ^[16] He kept clean sheets in the team's first two matches. ^[17] In the final group match Ikechukwu Ezenwa conceded twice in Nigeria's 2–0 defeat to Madagascar. Akpeyi returned to the starting line up in the round of 16 match against the indomitable lions of Cameroon where he conceded 2 goals in his teams 3 - 2 victory. ^[18] He was also in goal in the team's Q. Final victory over South Africa ^[19] and their 2 - 1 S. final lost to Algeria. ^[20] Francis Uzoho was in goal for the third place match against Tunisia. ^[21]

On 29 January 2020, Akpeyi prolonged his agreement with the South African Premier Soccer League by signing a two-year contract that will retain him with the Amakhosi until June 2022. ^[22]

On 25 December 2021, he was selected by Nigeria interim coach Eguavoen as one of the 28-man squad final draft for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. ^[23]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 17 November 2019 ^[24]

Nigeria
Year	Apps	Goals
2015	1	0
2016	3	0
2017	3	0
2018	1	0
2019	10	0
Total	18	0

Honours

Club

• Nigerian FA Cup: Winner 2011, 2012

International

• Summer Olympic Games: Bronze Medal, Brazil. 2016
• African Nations Cup: Bronze Medal, Egypt. 2019
• FIFA U-20 World Cup: Silver Medal, Holland. 2005

References

1. "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
2. Daniel Akpeyi at Soccerway
3. Akpeyi bails Owerri for Warri; SuperSport, 7 February 2014
4. Nigeria: Heartland to Warri Wolves – Akpeyi Going No Where!; AllAfrica.com, 11 February 2014
5. Wolves on full throttle; The Nation, 11 March 2014
6. Salami Set For Debut Archived 8 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine ; Soccer Laduma, 10 March 2014
7. Two years for Daniel Akpeyi at Chippa United Archived 14 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine . In 2019 he joined Kaizer Chiefs and his debut game was soweto Derby played in FNB stadium on 8 February 2019. Kickoff.com (15 July 2015). Retrieved on 18 August 2016.
8. Resilience: The Ernst Middendorp Authorised Biography.
9. "Daniel Akpeyi Stats - Clean Sheets & Saves Data | FootyStats". footystats.org. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
10. "Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs scoop double coach and player awards at PSL event". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
11. Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi names weakened CHAN Squad; BBC Sport, 1 January 2014
12. World Cup 2014: Peter Odemwingie in provisional Nigeria squad; BBC Sport, 6 May 2014
13. Siasia Praises Akpeyi Archived 31 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine . Complete Sports Nigeria (29 March 2015). Retrieved on 18 August 2016.
14. Oluwashina Okeleji (24 June 2016). "Kelechi Iheanacho included in Nigeria's Olympics squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
15. Crawford, Stephen (4 June 2018). "Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad - Final 23-man lists". Goal. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
16. Shittu, Ibitoye (11 June 2019). "AFCON 2019: Iwobi, Ndidi, 18 other Nigerian stars who will be making debut". Legit.ng. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
17. "Daniel Akpeyi has been unfairly criticised". 12 July 2019. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
18. "In-Depth: How Nigeria comeback KO'd Cameroon | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
19. "Afcon 2019: Nigeria vs South Africa Player Ratings - Chukwueze reaps reward of stellar performance | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
20. "Nigeria 1 Vs 2 Algeria: 5 things we learnt from Super Eagles' loss in AFCON 2019 semi-finals". Pulse Nigeria. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
21. "Bronze for Nigeria as Super Eagles beat Tunisia 1-0 to win 3rd-place game of AFCON 2019". www.pulse.ng. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
22. "Akpeyi signs two-year Chiefs deal". www.msn.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
23. Lambley, Garrin (26 December 2021). "AFCON latest: Nigeria pick Kaizer Chiefs star in squad". The South African. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
24. "Daniel Akpeyi". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 23 June 2018.

External links

• Daniel Akpeyi – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Olympia Profile Archived 4 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine