Nigerian goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo was in action as Wrexham A.F.C. produced a stirring comeback to defeat Ipswich Town 5-3 in a thrilling Sky Bet Championship encounter, a result that lifted the hosts back into the play off places.
Wrexham struck early when Josh Windass flicked on a header into the path of Kieffer Moore, who surged through and fired a left footed effort beyond Christian Walton to hand the home side the lead. Ipswich responded midway through the first half after Okonkwo parried Jack Taylor’s strike into the path of Anis Mehmeti, who lashed home to level the contest.
The hosts regained the advantage eight minutes before the interval. George Thomason’s initial effort was saved by Walton, but Moore reacted quickly to deliver a cross that Windass headed into the net for 2-1. Ipswich ensured the first half ended level when Taylor’s flick released Ivan Azon, who calmly slotted past Okonkwo in stoppage time to make it 2-2.
The visitors went in front two minutes into the second half. A partial clearance fell to Cedric Kipre, who unleashed a powerful drive from 20 yards that beat Okonkwo to give Ipswich a 3-2 lead. Wrexham responded strongly and equalised in the 66th minute when substitute Nathan Broadhead saw his shot blocked, only for the ball to fall kindly to Thomason, who drilled into the net.
The momentum swung firmly in Wrexham’s favour in the 75th minute. Lewis O’Brien’s corner was met by Callum Doyle, whose header restored the home side’s lead. Doyle later produced a crucial defensive intervention to deny Marcelino Nunez, while Windass was denied at the other end by Walton. Broadhead sealed the dramatic victory four minutes from time, curling home against his former club to confirm a 5-3 triumph and a first home league win of 2026.
The win moved Wrexham up to sixth place, two points clear of seventh placed Birmingham City, while Ipswich remain fourth and eight points off the automatic promotion spots, albeit with games in hand.
Okonkwo played the full 90 minutes, making three saves, recording 40 touches and completing 21 of his 31 passes. He conceded three goals on the night. The 24 year old has now featured in 30 Championship matches this season, starting 29, accumulating 2611 minutes and averaging 2.8 saves per game.
Recall in December 2025, Arthur Okonkwo committed his international future to the Super Eagles of Nigeria after switching allegiance. The former England youth international, who represented England at U15, U16, U17 and U18 levels between 2015 and 2018 and last featured for their U18 side in 2019, opted to represent Nigeria, the country of his parents.
“The Nigeria Football Federation is always excited to have another good player committing to Nigeria and providing an option in a particular position,” NFF Director of Communications Dr. Ademola Olajire told ESPN. “Arthur Okonkwo is a prospect and we believe the technical crew is delighted to have another option in the goalkeeping department.”
His decision followed a meeting in London in June with Nigeria head coach Eric Sekou Chelle during the Unity Cup tournament, which Nigeria won. Chelle outlined his plans and encouraged the goalkeeper to process his nationality switch and obtain a Nigerian passport. Although the paperwork was completed too late for Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco, Okonkwo is now eligible for the 2027 AFCON qualification matches scheduled to run from March through November, as the Super Eagles continue rebuilding after failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
