Enyeama still number one — Akpeyi

Warri Wolves goalkeeper Daniel
Akpeyi has downplayed his recent
achievements in goal for Nigeria by
insisting that his recent form in the
Nigeria Premier League has been
somewhat overstated.
The Warri Wolves goalkeeper is
seen as next in the line for the
Super Eagles goalkeeping job
whenever Vincent Enyeama
decides to retire from the national
team. Enyeama, who got his first
cap at the 2002 Korea/Japan World
Cup, reached his 100th cap with the
international friendly against
Uganda last month in Uyo. Nigeria
lost the game 1-0.
Akpeyi, who bared his mind in an
interview with the official website
of the Nigeria Football Federation,
thenff.com, said the competition
was too strong for him to see
himself as the number one or the
top contender for the Eagles
position.
He said, “There is big competition. I
can’t say I am number now. Vincent
remains the undisputed number
one of the team and we his
understudies are still looking up to
him. Until it is time for a match and
the coach tells me I am starting,
then [I’ll say] I am number one, but
for now I am not number one.”
Enyeama has said in recent
interviews that he doesn’t see
himself staying much longer in his
position with the Eagles. The Lille
of France keeper missed the
Nigeria game against South Africa
four days after the match in Uyo
due to back pain. Akpeyi was in goal
for the Eagles and the game ended
1-1 following a Bafana Bafana fight
back in the added time of the
game.
By the close of the last weekend,
Warri Wolves emerged as the last
Glo Premier League club standing
in CAF inter-club competitions after
Kano Pillars and Enyimba crashed
out on Saturday and Sunday
respectively. The fourth Nigerian
club, Dolphins, had earlier been
disqualified from the CAF
Confederation Cup following their
failure to keep to time for their
match at Club Africain in Tunisia.
Wolves gave Nigeria something to
cheer as they held on to their two-
goal lead from the first leg to edge
out Dedebit FC of Ethiopia. The
success of Wolves in Ethiopia has
largely been traced to Akpeyi,
going by his performance for
Wolves in Addis Ababa. Akpeyi
saved a point blank effort in the
first half.
Akpeyi continued with a superb
second half performance that saw
him pull off saves to keep Dedebit
at bay and ensure the match ended
goalless.

good one

Yeah