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Tag: Vincent Enyeama

  • Enyeama happy with Lille contract extension

    Enyeama happy with Lille contract extension

    Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama has said it was an easy decision to extend his contract with French club Lille till 2017.

    Lille announced that the Super Eagles goalkeeper has agreed on the extension on Friday.

    Enyeama was loaned to Maccabi Tel Aviv last season where he was crowned champion of Israel.

    The Eagles stand-in captain managed only three appearances in his first season with Lille in the 2011/2013 season.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the contract extension was the reward for his outstanding display so far this term where he has kept clean sheet for 1,035 minutes.

    “I’m really happy to be part of this team and very happy to have signed this contract extension. I just want to continue to help the team this season, but also to those that follow, “Enyeama told MTNFootball.com.

    “Yes. When officials called me to offer me an extension, I immediately said that I agreed because I love the LOSC, the players, the fans, as well as the coach and his staff. So, it was very easy for me to accept. I just said a big yes.

    “I am happy here, I like Lille and the people who live here. That is why at first it was easy for me to return to the club after my loan.

    “This contract extension is then made quite naturally. I waited, I dreamed, I wished with all my heart because I want to be part of this project. I have full confidence in this team.”

     

     

  • Enyeama sets 1,260 mins records

    Enyeama sets 1,260 mins records

    • Surpasses Sirigu

    • Eagles keeper gets global applauds

    Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama continued his impressive run of the season and he has now kept 14 clean sheets in 16 matches after helping his side, Lille beat Olympique Marseille 1-0 yesterday.

    Nolan Roux’s 90th minute header was enough for Lille to claim three points and send Lille to within a point of Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1.

    The Nigerian international has surpassed Salvatore Sirigu (PSG) – 950 mins without conceding record which was set only a year ago, between November 17, 2012 and February 8, 2013, second in L1 all-time ranking.

    The outcome of yesterday’s match means the former Hapoel Tel Aviv of Israel safe hands has played 1,260 minutes without conceding this season. He celebrated an 11th consecutive clean sheet for Lille, needing around 140 minutes away from setting the Ligue 1 record of consecutive clean-sheet held by Bordeaux goalkeeper Gaëtan Huard.

    To make it happen, Enyeama only needs to keep Bastia out, and deny PSG for 52 minutes in their next two matches respectively.

    Enyeama has not conceded a goal since a 2-0 home defeat by Nice on September 15.

    The home side typically, defended well throughout, but they were unable to break down OM until the death, when the striker stooped low to send a diving header beyond Steve Mandanda.

    Enyeama made a good save to deny Andre-Pierre Gignac after 17 minutes, as the Lille defence snuffed out Mathieu Valbuena’s attempt from the rebound.

    Following the restart, Marseille nearly ended Lille’s 11-game streak of not conceding, but somehow the ball stayed out as Valbuena’s effort pinballed in the penalty area.

    Enyeama then came to rescue his side just after the hour mark when he made a superb double stop to deny Florent Thauvin and Dimitri Payet.

    However, world enconmiums have been pouring for the former Enyimba of Aba’s safe hands. Sportinglife’s checks on twitter after the game saw people across the world heaping accolades on the former Iwuanyanwu Nationale star.

    “FFW @FrenchFtWeekly 28m

    Enyeama then watches a Gignac header sail just beyond his far post. This man is incredible – in the form of his life!

    “Mohammed Ali @mohammedali_93 31m

    ENYEAMA! What a fantastic double save again – wow, he’s probably taken something. Fantastic stop.

    “101 Great Goals @101greatgoals 2m

    Correction. Lille have kept 11 clean sheets in a row. And their keeper Vincent Enyeama is bloody brilliant!

    “John Bennett @JohnBennettBBC 2m

    Lille’s defensive record is incredible. After the 1 nil win over Marseille: 1035 mins without conceding – 11 straight clean sheets.

    “Jonathan Fadugba @JFfutbol 16m

    “FT: #LOSC 1-0 #OM ANOTHER clean sheet for Lille! Not conceded in Ligue 1 since Sept 15th. Enyeama a rock again. Rene Girard: king of the 1-0

    “Jonathan Johnson @Jon_LeGossip 17m

    Vincent Enyeama celebrates an 11th consecutive clean sheet for Lille. Insane. Another top performance from the Nigerian international

    “Nwani Emeka @Mekus_Mekus 2m

    “RT @Tofetsports: Vincent Enyeama: MotM vs Marseille, Rating 8.2, Clearances 2, Shots on target faced 4, Saves 4 http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/717106/Live/France-Ligue-1-2013-2014-Lille-Marseille …” Congrats Vincent Enyeama”

    “Colin Udoh @ColinUdoh 2m

    FT: Lille 1-0 Marseille. Another clean sheet for Enyeama. Now 140 minutes away from the Ligue 1 record #SuperMan”

    “Robin Bairner @RBairner 29m

    #Lille have now kept 11 consecutive clean sheet – 1035 minutes – around 140 short of the record.”

    “Goalkeeper Enyeama, who wasn’t even playing for Lille last season, makes a fine save by coming off his line to deny Gignac. 0-0.

    “Vincent Enyeama has now surpassed Salvatore Sirigu’s (PSG) – 950 mins without conceding. Second in L1 all-time ranking.”

    “Enyeama! Crikey another double save! Thauvin with the first effort, good save. The second attempt by Gignac forces an even better save!”

  • Will it be Eagles vs Argentina again?

    Will it be Eagles vs Argentina again?

    Statistically, Nigeria have a good chance of clashing again with Argentina at next year’s World Cup. If so, what should we expect?

    Brazil 2014 will be Nigeria’s fifth trip to the World Cup, having also featured at the tournament in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010. And in those four previous outings, Nigeria have clashed with Argentina three times, while they have twice battled Bulgaria and Greece in the first round of the global tournament.

    The Eagles have lost all three meetings with La Albiceleste, who are again one of the eight seeded teams for next year’s World Cup.

    In 1994, the wile of Diego Maradona and the opportunistic Claudio Canniggia combined to wreck the Eagles 2-1. The South Americans were again victorious when both teams clashed at the 2002 World Cup.

    Argentina threw away several chances and goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu was at his best for the Eagles before a Gabriel Batistuta goal in the 63rd minute proved to be the difference between the two teams.

    Three years ago in South Africa, it was again the Nigeria goalkeeper, this time Vincent Enyeama, who denied Argentina more than a goal. But Nigeria will take their pound of flesh in a friendly in June 2011 when they won 4-1 in Abuja.

    A few months later, Argentina would again triumph 2-1 in another friendly in Bangladesh. CSKA Moscow striker Ahmed Musa said drawing Argentina again would only bring out the best in the Super Eagles.

    “Argentina are big team no doubt but we are too. If we were in the same group for the World Cup, it would only bring out the best in us. We beat them before and we can still beat them,” Musa told MTNFootball.com.

    Celtic defender Efe Ambrose said: “Argentina are beatable again. It will be a good one for us if we drew Argentina because we won’t be scared. We are capable of beating them again,” he declared.

    For Brazil 2014, Argentina topped a marathon South American qualifying tournament with 32 points from 16 matches. They won nine, drew five and lost two matches.

    Nigeria, on the other hand, played a total of eight matches to reach Brazil. They won five and drew three matches. Like Nigeria, two-time world champions Argentina have recorded managerial changes since the last World Cup.

    In South Africa 2010 they were led by no other person than the great Diego Maradona, who was fired after they were ripped apart by Germany at the tournament.

    Maradona’s teammate from the World Cup-winning squad of 1986, Sergio Batista, will take over the team before he was also booted out for Alejandro Sabella in 2011 after the early exit of the country from the 2011 Copa America.

    The 59-year-old Sabella has been a long-time assistant of former Argentina coach Daniel Passarella and has posted a win rate of 61.29% since his appointment, winning 19, drawing eight and losing four matches.

    Sabella’s captain Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Pastore will be the men for Eagles to watch out for.

    Argentina will be playing next door, but their opponents will hope that the fierce rivalry that exists between them and host nation Brazil will translate to the local fans cheering them on instead.

    Nigeria’s confidence will be further boosted by the fact they will be at the World Cup as African champions, just it was at USA 1994.

  • Media accreditation for 2013 GLO-CAF awards begins

    Confederation of African Football (CAF), organisers of 2013 GLO-CAF Awards, have begun in earnest the accreditation of journalists that will cover the ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria.

    Over one hundred press men are expected from different parts of the world to cover the 2013 GLO-CAF Awards, an annual soccer event that celebrates the best of African football including footballers, coaches and administrators who have distinguished themselves in the game either on the African Continent or beyond.

    Top journalists and media houses worldwide are expected to cover the high profile ceremony which comes up at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre, Lagos, Nigeria on January 9th, 2014.

    CAF recently released the list of 25 short-listed players for the African Player of the year Award. Five top Nigerian players that featured in the list include Mikel Obi, Emmanuel Emenike, Vincent Enyeama, Ahmed Musa and Sunday Mba. The list will be pruned down to the Top Ten and Top Three players later this month.

    The award categories include African Player of the Year (Based in Africa); National Team of the Year; Club of the Year; and Coach of the Year.

    Other categories are Women’s National Team of the Year; Women’s Footballer of the Year; Most Promising Talent; Referee of the Year; Legend of the year; Fair Play Award; Platinum Award (which has only one nominee); and Africa Finest XI. Globacom has been sponsoring the CAF Awards since 2005.

  • Enyeama wins French league award

    Enyeama wins French league award

    Vincent Enyeama is the best player in the French Ligue 1 for October, goal.com reports.

    Enyeama push aside competition from Paris Saint Germain stars Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani to clinch the periodic accolade for outstanding performance in the premier division.

    The 31-year-old, who joined the French outfit from Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2011, was promoted to first choice goalkeeper this season and has been fantastic in goal since the beginning of the campaign, keeping a clean sheet across 675 minutes already.

    Enyeama raked 71 per cent of the votes far ahead of Ibrahimovic, who scored 19 per cent and Cavani, 10 per cent. He will receive his trophy on Sunday before Lille clash with Toulouse in match day 14.

    The former Enyimba custodian also figures on the Confederation of African Football’s list of nominees for the 2013 African Footballer of the Year award.

     

  • Enyeama not sure of victory

    Enyeama not sure of victory

    Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama will not get himself entangled with making promises as the team play away to Kenya in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on Wednesday June 5, 2013.

    Nigeria played a 2-2 draw with Mexico on Saturday in an international friendly with Enyeama, the team captain coming in to replace Austin Ejide at the start of the second half.

    Enyeama conceded Javier Hernández’s second goal to ensure the Manchester United forward complete his brace on the night.

    And with the next duty a crucial game against Kenya, Enyeama has refused to make promises but calls on Nigerians to pray for the success of the Super Eagles.

    “I don’t want to promise anything because everything is in the hands of God,” he said on Brila FM.

    “Nigerians should pray for us ahead of the qualifiers against Kenya and Namibia.”

    Kenya forced Nigeria to a 1-1 draw in the first leg played in Calabar, Nigeria.

  • Mexico friendly: Enyeama leads Efe, Akpala, 18 others to U.S

    Mexico friendly: Enyeama leads Efe, Akpala, 18 others to U.S

    Stand in Captain of the Super Eagles, Vincent Enyeama, will lead other 20 players to United States for Friday’s much-publicized international friendly against Mexico.

    Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi, on Monday dropped the duo of Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC) and Gomo Onduku (Balyesa United) from the team.

    All the newly invited players – Kunle Odulami, Eze Emeka, Anthony Ujah, Joseph Akpala and Nwachukwu Obinna made the trip.

    The full squad:

    Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves/NGA), Austin Ejide (Hapoel/ISR), Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv/ISR)

    Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves/NGA), Efe Ambrose (Celtic/SCO), Elderson Echiéjilé (Sporting de Braga/POR), Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag/NED), Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars/NGA), Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars/NGA), Francis Benjamin (Heartland/NGA), Odunlami Kunle (Sunshine Stars FC/NGA)

    Midfielders: Ogenyi Onazi (Lazio/ITA), John Ogu (Academia de Coimbra/POR), Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland/NGA), Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers/NGA), Michael Babatunde (Kryvbas Kryvyi/UKR

    Forwards: Joseph Akpala (SV Werder Bremen/GER), Brown Ideye (FC Dynamo Kyiv/UKR), Anthony Ujah (FC Koln/GER), Nnamdi Oduamadi (Varese/ITA), Gambo Muhammad (Kano Pillars /NGA).

     

  • Enyeama returns to Lille

    Enyeama returns to Lille

    Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has confirmed that he will return to French club, Lille in July.

    The 30-year-old, who joined the Ligue 1 club for free in the summer of 2011 from Hapoel Tel Aviv was loaned out to another Israeli club, Maccabi Tel Aviv at the start f the 2012/13 season, Supersport.com reports.

    He impressed for The Yellows, leading them to the 2012/13 Ligat ha’Al (Israeli League) title after making 27 league appearances for the club.

    Enyeama, who was part of the 2013 African Nations Cup-winning Nigerian side, has now confirmed that he will be returning to France in July for pre-season training with Lille.

    “I have two years left on my contract so it is obligatory that I go back to France. I was only on loan at Maccabi Tel Aviv so logically, I have to return to France,” he told Supersport.com.

    The former Enyimba shot-stopper endured a torrid time while in France as he did not play a single league game for Lille in the 2011/12 season with the club’s Manager, Rudi Garcia preferring to play former France international goalkeeper, Mikael Landreau instead.

    Enyeama said he never had any problems with Garcia’s decision at the time.

    “I don’t think it is proper t start talking about whether Landreau was better than me at the time but the fact remains that two goalkeepers cannot play in goal simultaneously. He (Landreau) was there at the club before I arrived so I respect the fact that the manager chose him ahead of me,” he explained.

    Landreau left Lille in 2012 but Enyeama does not believe the first team shirt at the Metropole club will be a shoo-in in the coming season especially with 32-year-old Steve Elana impressing last term.

     

  • Nigeria hits AFCON semi finals

    Nigeria hits AFCON semi finals

    …Pips Cote d’Ivoire 2-1

    Super Eagles of Nigeria on Sunday defeated tournament favourites Cote d’ Ivoire 2-1 in the quarter final match of the ongoing African Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    One goal in each sent the Ivoirians, widely tipped to win the tournament packing.

    The Nigerians clearly the underdogs in this match took the game to the Elephants from the blast of the whistle and deservedly took the lead in the 41st minute through Emmanuel Emenike whose unstoppable shot from the edge of the eighteen yard box flew past Boubakar Bary in goal for the Ivoirians.

    The Elephants came out smoking in the second half in search of the equalizer which duly arrived in the 55th minute through Cheik Tiote who took advantage of a mix-up in the Nigerian defence to power a header past Vincent Enyeama.

    With score standing at 1-1 the two teams went out in search of the winning goal and Enyeama’s superb double saves prevented the Ivoirians from going in front in the 73rd minute.

    Nigeria went ahead in the 76th minute through Sunday Mba who struck an unstoppable volley past Bary.

    From then it was a ding-dong affair and the Nigerians held on to secure a famous victory over the much heralded Didier Drogba- led Ivoirians.

    Nigeria will meet Mali in one of the semi final matches on Wednesday.