Tag: Emenike

Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike, 27, faces a spell on the sidelines after picking a groin injury on Thursday morning during practice. Until a MRI scan is conducted, it is uncertain the number of weeks he will be absent for Fenerbahce. As a result of the injury, it is a forgone conclusion that Emenike will sit out this weekend’s trip to Balikesirspor. The Super Eagles star has struggled in the Super Lig this season, scoring a paltry 2 goals in 10 matches, compared to last season where he smashed 12 goals in 28 appearances. Fenerbache currently occupy the third position in the Super Lig standings with 21 points, behind Istanbul rivals Besiktas and Galatasaray in that order.

Nigeria international Emmanuel Emenike has thanked Fenerbahce coach Ismail Kartal for standing by him during his barren spell in front of goal.

Despite failing to score in five straight games before Sunday’s encounter with Besiktas, the manager still kept faith with the 2013 African Cup of Nations goalscorer, handing him his fifth start of the season at Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadyumu.

“Before the derby, I was well prepared for this encounter. He understands my state, Ismail Kartal is like my father. It was an emotional event and challenging. He grabbed my hand and helped me stand up,” Emmanuel Emenike was quoted as saying by Fanatik .

The 27 – year – old has averaged a goal every other game since he switched to Europe from FC Cape Town in 2009.

Emmanuel Emenike has criticised referee Cuneyt Cakir, who officiated the Istanbul derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce ( 2 – 1), for some questionable calls he made during the match at the  Türk Telekom Arena on Saturday.

In his post match comments, the Nigeria international felt that he was fouled in the first half by Galatasaray’s Cameroonian defender Aurélien Chedjou, but the referee failed to award a penalty in his team’s favour.

“It was the beginning of the match. If the match referee Cuneyt Cakir had given a penalty, everything would have been different.

“We were left with 10 people to play against the opponents, now we’d be talking of totally different things.

“Cuneyt Cakir had an effect in the game,” Emmanuel Emenike was quoted as saying by fanatik.com.tr.

Emmanuel Emenike lasted 61 minutes on the pitch before he was replaced by Hasan Kaldirim.

Speaking ahead of Fenerbahce’s clash with Konyaspor today, Emmanuel Emenike has vowed to put in maximum effort, and is targeting three points to appease the fans, after losing to Akhisar Belediyespor last weekend.

The Nigeria international started the tie against the home team from the bench until he was introduced in the 64th minute, but he failed to add to his solitary strike in the Turkish championship.

“The defeat to Fenerbahce was not good. To please our fans, we have to win again to raise our spirits. If given a chance to change things around on the pitch, I will fight until the last drop for the team, ” Emmanuel Emenike was quoted as saying by Fanatik.

Incidentally,the Fenerbahce number 29 scored his only league goal against his former team, Karabukspor, whom he left for the Yellow Canaries in the summer of 2011, before transferring to Spartak Moscow.

Defending champions Fenerbache sit sixth on the table after four rounds in the Super Lig.

Nigeria defender Gbenga Arokoyo has told AfricanFootball.com he is delighted to have stopped compatriot Emmanuel Emenike from scoring in a Turkish league clash  on Sunday night.

Arokoyo’s club Gaziantepspor would even have run away with at least a draw against the champions, but for a dubious refereeing call, according to the defender.

Mighty Fenerbahce barely won the game 1-0 courtesy a late penalty. But former Nigeria U-20 star Arokoyo, who played the entire duration on Sunday, said they did not deserve to lose this game.

“It was a tough game for us really, we defended very well, and I was happy to be involved in stopping a striker like Emenike from getting any goal. Our plan was working well until a controversial penalty was awarded to them in the 82nd minute. The referee awarded a penalty but it was not a penalty because a Fenerbahce player dived to get the penalty,” Arokoyo told AfricanFootball.com.

Emenike played for the entire duration of the game, while another Nigerian, John Chibuike, came in the 83rd minute for Gilles Binya of Cameroon in Gaziantepspor colours.

Fenerbahce are second on the league table with seven points in three games while Gaziantepspor are eighth on the league table with four points.

Super Eagles striker Emmanuel Emenike has told  AfricanFootball.com Congo could be very dangerous
on Saturday because they do not have anything to lose against the African champions.

Nigeria welcome to Calabar the Red Devils from Brazzaville in their opening qualifying match for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

In the last meeting between the two teams, the Congolese held Nigeria to a goalless draw at the 2000 AFCON, which was hosted by Nigeria and Ghana.

And Fenerbahce star Emenike has now warned that desperation and arrogance cannot bring results, especially when playing against a team like Congo and other Africa teams tagged as underdogs.

“Being the defending champions could make it tough for us and the Congolese have nothing to lose,” Emenike told AfricanFootball.com.

“Maximum three points is important and that’s what we are looking forward to in Saturday’s game, but we should expect a tough test from Congo.”

Emenike added: “Fans will be expecting a massacre, but we will be wrong if we think the Congolese will be an easy team to ride over.

“I believe we will win, but we must show humility and respect for our opponents. I understand from experience that desperation does not work for us.”

Emenike, for one, will hope to end his goals drought at the World Cup in Brazil, where he failed to score in four matches.

Emmanuel Emenike is banking on teamwork to help the Super Eagles overrun their opponents in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Emenike sounded out a warning to Nigeria’s Group F opponents Argentina, who he believes are underrating the African champions, because of their high collection of individual talents.

“As a professional, you should always respect your opponents irrespective of their qualities,” the Fenerbahce forward said.

“They think they can beat us because they have individual players. But football is beyond that stage now.”

Emenike insists that the team are not currently thinking about either Argentina or Bosnia-Herzegovina, as their immediate focus is on Iran who they will play against at the Estádio Joaquim Americo Guimaraes in Curtiba in June 16.

“Our first match against Iran is very crucial. Right now, I am thinking about Iran, not Bosnia or Argentina.”

The 27-year-old believes this year’s World Cup is going to be very challenging, as every participating team has a point to prove. He, however, stated that with teamwork, he is confident Nigeria will do well at the tournament.

“This World Cup is going to be interesting and full of surprises because there are so many wounded lions in Brazil. We want to fight hard on the pitch and win.

“I know the battle ahead of me and the team, but I am banking on team effort, that’s the only way to succeed.”