Enyeama bench role worries Keshi

THE Super Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi is worried with the continued bench role by first choice goalie Vincent Enyeama at French Ligue 1 club Lille Fc. A reliable source from the Nigerian technical team confirmed the development yesterday. He said “The coach (Keshi) is worried about the bench role of Enyeama at Lille. He has charged his assistants to scout for a long term replacement.” Super Eagles goalkeeper Enyeama failed to take his opportunity as he conceded twice in OSC Lille’s 1-2 loss to 10-man Olympic Lyonnaise in an explosive Coupe de la Ligue quarter final mid this month. Enyeama, making a rare start for Lille ahead of the club’s first choice, Mikhail Landreau, was culpable for Lyon’s opener on 41 minutes. He failed to hold on to Bafetimbi Gomis’ freekick allowing Swedish poacher, Kim Kallstrom to poke home the rebound from four yards. The Nigerian shot stopper did not cover himself in glory as Lyon pinched a winner late on. Lisandro Lopez squeezed home a powerful strike off the keeper’s near post and the Lille coach, Rudi Garcia would have expected the Nigerian to do better. The 29 year old who has yet to start in Ligue 1 this season has sat out most of the league matches played this season. Keshi has told John Obi Mikel to fight for his first team status at Chelsea ahead of next month’s Africa Cup of Nations trip to Rwanda. The shares of the Nigerian international midfielder have been waning of recent as he has been frozen out of the starting sheet of Chelsea by Romeu, who is now favoured by coach, Andre Villas-Boas for the holding role since the start of the second part of the English Premier League season. Nigeria is set to play Amavubi in a two-legged qualifier of the 2013 Africa Nations Cup. The first leg is slated for February 29 in Kigali with the return planned for June in Nigeria. bonnie.mugabe@newtimes.co.rw

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Enyeama bench role worries Keshi