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Tag: Enyeama

  • Kanu, Enyeama proud of Dream Team

    Kanu, Enyeama proud of Dream Team

    Former Nigeria internationals, Kanu Nwankwo and Vincent Enyeama have showered praise on the country’s Under-23 national team for qualifying for the quarter final of the football event of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016.

    Dream Team VI defeated Sweden 1-0 in Group B on Sunday night, thanks to  Sadiq Umar’s 39th minute header at the Amazonia Arena in Manaus.

    Kanu, who captained Nigeria’s U-23 team to win gold at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, tweeted that coach Samson Siasia and his boys have made the country proud in Rio.

    “Congratulations our dear team Nigeria U-23.Well done boys and well done Samson and your coaching staff, we are proud of you all keep going,” he tweeted.

    Enyeama also congratulated the team for making it to the quarter final stage.

    “Congratulations to team Nigeria (male football) for qualifying to the quarter finals.#Olympics2016. Thank you for making Nigerians proud,” the Lille of France goalkeeper said.

    On Wednesday, Nigeria will  play against Colombia in Sao Paulo, while Sweden have a must-win match against Japan in Salvador if they are going to continue their Rio 2016 journey.

  • LILLE’S TRAINING Enyeama shows class

    LILLE’S TRAINING Enyeama shows class

    Absolutely he hasn’t. Even Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas would and give the former Super Eagles’ captain a standing ovation for his brilliance on Friday during a pre-season training session with Lille.

    In a short video posted on his Instagram wall, Enyeama made 10 saves from 14 shots on target which included two tennis balls. Little wonder, he was named among the top 10 goalkeepers in Europe for the 2015/16 season by the Swiss-based CIES Football Observatory.

    With this awe-inspiring form, strikers in the French topflight will have to be at their best to beat him in goal.

  • Enyeama claims top Ligue 1 gong

    Enyeama claims top Ligue 1 gong

    Vincent Enyeama has been rewarded for his sterling performance for Lille OSC on match day 32 in Ligue 1 (France’s top flight).

    According to French respected media outlet, L’Equipe, the Nigerian goalkeeper was voted the winner of the top-five stops in last match day in the Ligue 1.

    The goalkeeper kept a clean sheet in Lille’s 3-0 win over Nantes at Stade de la Beaujoire – Louis Fonteneau on April 3 but it was his stunning save off a free kick from the opposition that has set the pulses racing.

    Enyeama produced a save that defied logic to deny Nantes’ Icelandic striker, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.

    Sigthorsson had fired a fierce, swerving free kick from over 25 metres out and with the effort seeming destined for the top corner, Enyeama beat out the effort, one-handed, to concede a corner.

    The save was voted as the best in the top-five saves poll for match day 32 in Ligue 1.

    Enyeama’s save attracted 32% of the 6992 votes cast to edge out the duo of the SCO Angers’ Alexandre Letellier (second with 25% of votes) and the Rennes Benoît Costil (third with 18% of votes).

    The 33-year-old Enyeama has played 29 times for Lille in Ligue 1 this season.

  • Marc-Vivien Foe prize for Africans: Enyeama nominated again

    Marc-Vivien Foe prize for Africans: Enyeama nominated again

    • Keeps 12 clean sheets; makes 28 appearances
    • Secures save ratio of 2.6 per French Ligue 1 game

    Vincent Enyeama has once again emerged as one of the 11 shortlisted players for the Marc-Vivien Foe prize for Africans in the French Ligue 1.

    The 33-year-old Nigerian shot-stopper is the only goalkeeper nominated alongside two defenders, five midfielders and three strikers.

    The Lille OSC custodian will have to contend with the like of Ivorian Serge Aurier, Abdul Majeed Waris, Moustapha Bayal Sall, Floyd Ayite, Ryad Boudebouz and Sofiane Boufal.

    Other nominees are Rachid Ghezzal, Cheikh Noye, Cheick Diabate and Cameroon striker Benjamain Moukandjo.

    This season, Enyeama has impressed between the sticks for Lille and has made 28 appearances for his team. He has kept 12 clean sheets including shipping in 0.76 goal per match and has a save ratio of 2.6 per French Ligue 1 game.

    The former Nigerian international has made 72 saves including 45 of them being shots from inside the box.

    In 2014, Enyeama was voted the best African in the French top-flight after he put up an incredible streak of 14 clean sheets for Lille, amounting to 1,061 minutes without conceding, falling short by 115 minutes to the all-time clean sheet record in France held by former Bordeaux goalkeeper Gaeten Huard in 1993.

    Last year, Andre Ayew, now with Swansea City, beat Enyeama and a host of other African players to the award. The winner of the award for 2016 will be named in May.

    The nominees

    Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria/Lille), Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast/PSG), Moustapha Bayal Sall (Senegal/Saint-Etienne), Floyd Ayité (Togo/SC Bastia), Ryad Boudebouz (Algeria/Montpellier), Sofiane Boufal (Morocco/Lille), Rachid Ghezzal (Algeria/ OlympiqueLyonnais), Cheikh Ndoye (Senegal/Angers), Cheick Diabaté (Mali/Bordeaux), Benjamain Moukandjo (Cameroon/FC Lorient), Abdul Majeed Waris (Ghana/FC Lorient).

  • Enyeama’s exit: Genesis of Eagles crisis -Rufai

    • Cites law of equity 

    Former International and ex-Super Eagles goalie, Peter Rufai has identified the exit of Vincent Enyeama as one of the problems bedeviling the national team. He said though every player in a team is relevant and contributes to whatever result is ultimately achieved , some players go beyond playing but have  leadership qualities that act as stabilizing factors to keep the team on course,  especially at difficult moments.

    The former Enyimba safe hand, according to Rufai, should not have been allowed to exit unceremoniously considering his contribution to the national team over the years and the need to encourage up and coming ones to see a committed example worth following.

    “Eagles current problems started with the exit of Vincent Enyeama. He has sacrificed for the nation and his exit should not have taken place the way it did. We heard about losing his mother and other personal issues at that time and I believe the issue should have been handled differently,” he said

    Rufai, who was a guest of The Nation/Sportinglife crew within the week, did not stop there but went spiritual when he said that there is always a repercussion when players who commit their heart to serving the nation are improperly treated.

    “There is always a force that is there for everyone who has been noble but has been inappropriately treated,” he said, adding that he does not see anything wrong with the return of the Lille of France first choice goalkeeper to the national team.

    Although Enyeama, who won his 100th cap for the national team on March 26 in a lone goal loss to Uganda has for the umpteenth time said he won’t change his mind following  his October 8 retirement last year, opinions have continued to pop up whether or not it was the right time and right moment to quit

    Interestingly, the former Ibom Stars and Hapoel Tel Aviv ace only few days ago made another history making his 100th appearance for his French side Lille, and bagging FIFA hard work award for the feat.

    He took to his Instagram handle to share the news of the FIFA award to his fans. “This is how goodness and mercy will follow you all this month of March. First day of the month, FIFA got me a trophy for hardwork, dedication, success,” he wrote under a photograph of himself with a plaque. “Thank you @FIFA. I want to wish everyone reading this message a wonderful month of March. God did it for me. God will do it for us,” he prayed

     

  • Enyeama, Emenike may be recalled

    Enyeama, Emenike may be recalled

    Interim coach of the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia has hinted that Emmanuel Emenike and Vincent Enyeama maybe recalled to the national team barely few hours after he was named as Sunday Oliseh’s replacement.

    Siasia who told journalists at the Glasshouse in Abuja yesterday that he accepted to handle the Eagles at this period for the sake of Nigeria revealed that he will look into the circumstances that led to the exit of Emenike and Enyeama to see if they could be recalled.

    “We are looking into the Enyeama and Emenike matter to see if they could  possibly join the team,” he said.

    Commenting on the preparation for the Rio Olympics, Siasia said his team will resume camp on Sunday. “By the Grace of God we are resuming camp on Sunday, NFF has approved it. We have also been sending letters to the invited players and the other guys from Europe to join the team.”

  • Enyeama’s heroics deny PSG win

    Enyeama’s heroics deny PSG win

    Vincent Enyeama produced a heroic performance on Saturday to help Lille OSC claim a point at runaway Ligue 1 leaders, Paris Saint Germain.

    The Nigerian goalkeeper made no less than five top-class saves to deny the hosts victory in front of 45,391 supporters at Parc des Princes.

    Enyeama was first called to duty as early as the ninth minute when he produced a full length dive to push out Jean Kevin Agustin’s effort.

    Six minutes later, the former Enyimba man kept out Edinson Cavani’s effort after the Uruguayan was expertly set up by Angel di Maria.

    In the 25th minute, Enyeama brilliantly denied Di Maria whose free kick seemed destined for the top right hand corner as PSG cranked up the pressure.

    His best save was produced in the 65th minute as he dived expertly to deny Loucas Moura from 25 yards. He had to be alert in the 87th minute though to deny Cavani from close range as Les Dougues held out for a hard-fought point.

    Enyeama’s performance did not go unnoticed by the Lille captain, Rio Mavuba, who reserved some words of adulation for the Nigerian shot-stopper.

    “This is a very good point made here. The Parisians caused us problems severally, but Vincent (Enyeama) made the saves that were necessary for us to avoid defeat,” Mavuba told the club’s official website, www.losc.fr.

    Enyeama has played 23 league matches for Lille this season.

  • 2015 African Player of the Year: Musa, Enyeama chase Yaya’s crown

    2015 African Player of the Year: Musa, Enyeama chase Yaya’s crown

      • CAF unveils 37 nominees

    Two Super Eagles’ stars, Ahmed Musa and Vincent Enyeama have another opportunity of being named the 2015 African Player of the Year following their inclusion in the list of 37 nominees released yesterday for the prestigious award by the Confederation of African Football(CAF).

    For Enyeama, who purportedly settled his rift with the Eagles chief coach Sunday Oliseh last Saturday, his nomination gives him the chance to challenge the incumbent winner,Yaya Toure who also made the list for the upteenth time.

    The Lille of France goalkeeper came so close to winning the last edition of the glamorous award but lost narrowly to Yaya Toure after emerging runner up at the awards ceremony held in Lagos in January.

    Two years ago, it was another Eagles’ star, Mikel Obi who gave Yaya Toure a run for his money before the Ivorian midfield maestro was eventually pronounced winner.

    For the past three years, Ahmed Musa had been able to as far as making the 10-man shortlist but his form for CSKA Moscow this season where he has already scored nine goals in the Russian Premier League and the UEFA Champions League should push him further into contention this year.

    Other notable names in the list include the reigning champion,Yaya Toure of Manchester City,Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Victor Wanyama of Southampton, Yacine Brahimi of FC Porto and Roma’s Seydou Keita.

    Yaya Toure has won this prestigious award four times in a row beating Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o who held the previous record of four titles but not in straight years.

    The African award is decided by a vote of the coaches or technical directors of the continent’s national teams

  • Oliseh/Enyeama Face-off: Sanusi, Fashanu call for caution

    Oliseh/Enyeama Face-off: Sanusi, Fashanu call for caution

     

    NFF General Secretary Sanusi Mohammed has called on Nigerians to be patient with the football body as they try to find a way out of the impasse involving Super Eagles Head Coach Sunday Oliseh and former Captain Vincent Enyeama. Also former International John Fashanu has advised both parties to embrace the part of peace.

    Speaking to SportingLife at different occasions in Abuja, the scribe of the Federation said: “We all heard what had happened between the two important figures in our senior national team, we are appealing to Nigerians not to jump to any conclusion on the incident as the football house is very much on top of the situation, and would surely find a way out of the situation. Our appeal to all Nigerians is that they should not jump to conclusions, and start apportioning blames. This would not be good for us as a country, and our football. The Federation would surely find a way out of it, in such a way that none of the parties would be offended. What we need in our football now is absolute peace. We don’t want anything that would cause any kind of distraction as we move towards playing our last matches to qualifying for the Africa Nations Cup holding in Angola. We want to remain focused and resolute. This can only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility,” he said.

    Toiling the stand, former International and Wimbledon of England striker John Fashanu advised both Sunday Oliseh and Vincent Enyeama to tow the path of peace for the interest of the country. Quoting his words, the former England international popularly called “Fash the Bash” said: “We don’t need all these now. Sunday Oliseh should know that the task of qualifying the country for the next edition of Africa Nations Cup rests on his shoulder. He does not need any type of distraction at this point. He needs absolute peace and tranquility in the discharge of his duties. If he is rebuilding the team, it should be a gradual process, because he needs the experience of the older players to move the young ones along. He should have been very diplomatic in handling the incident, so that it would not have degenerated to the situation it is now. I still maintain that he needs to be peaceful with everyone, to achieve whatever he is out to do. Nigerians would not accept anything that would make them not go for the second AFCON consecutively” he said.

    Continuing, he said: “Vincent Enyeama also should know that after serving the country for over a decade, if he is retiring from international duties, he should quit honourably without any rancour. He is now a legend, well respected across the world, he should always apply caution in all his actions, So many young players are looking up to him as a model, so he should not disappoint them in his actions,” he said.

  • Nigeria plans testimonial for Enyeama – NFF

    Nigeria plans testimonial for Enyeama – NFF

    The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said a testimonial will be organised for Vincent Enyeama, saying he deserves “an honourable exit” from the Super Eagles.

    On Saturday, Enyeama returned to Belgium to meet with NFF president Amaju Pinnick, NFF 1st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi and 2nd Vice President Shehu Dikko.

    Pinnick told Enyeama in clear terms that the country is bigger than any individual, and that even if he was determined to quit international football, he did not have to do so in a situation of acrimony.

    “I told him that he did so well for Nigeria over the past 13-and-half years that he had been there, and by all means, is deserving of a honourable exit,” the NFF boss said.

    “Whatever the situation, whether he decides to return to the team or not, the NFF will organise a worthy testimonial match in his honour because he served the nation so well.

    “However,the head coach is in full charge of the team and the camp at all times,and that fact must be respected. The NFF will support and respect the decision of the head coach of any of the national teams at all times.

    “Both Oliseh and Enyeama are true heroes of Nigeria football, if you look at what they achieved at different times. But Oliseh is head coach now and in charge of the team. We will continue to respect his contract; our role as a federation is advisory.”

    Pinnick further hinted that a code of conduct for players and officials of the various national teams will soon come into force.

    Speaking from Belgium on Sunday, NFF President Amaju Pinnick assured that the document was ready and would be implemented soonest to guide the conduct of players, officials and coaches and minimise areas of conflict and tension in the national camp.

    “A small group had been working on the document and I am happy to say that it is now ready for implementation,” he said.

    “This will spell out how players and officials must conduct themselves while in any of the national camps, and minimise the probability of misunderstanding between coaches and players.”