FRANCIS ACHI/Uyo
As football loving Nigerians are counting down the hours to the crucial World Cup qualifying game between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday, Ikechukwu Ezenwa , the goal keeper preferred to be in goal in the absence of Daniel Akpeyi and Carl Ikeme has said that he is fully ready for the Cameroon challenge.
Ezenwa, who had series of saves with a spectacular penalty save in the two legged fixtures the CHAN Super Eagles battled the Squirrels of Benin Republic, helped Nigeria qualified for the CHAN tournament to be hosted by Kenya next year. He now said that he is very confident of giving a good account of his goal keeping prowess against Cameroon, the current African champions.
“I am ready to help my country and if the coach says that I will be in goal, I hope to give a good account of myself and help the team. It is all about the team and you can see that the mood is very high and we are very optimistic of victory against Cameroon. I am ready for this big challenge of facing the Cameroonians,” Ezenwa said.
The safe hands in goal for FC Ifeanyi Ubah in the Nigeria Professional Football League further revealed that he has been really encouraged with the conversations he had with Carl Ikeme, who is recuperating from blood cancer in England, adding that the Wolverhampton Wanderers of England goalkeeper has boosted his confidence that he (Ezenwa) has the ability to excel in goal for Nigeria against Cameroon.
“I am really encouraged with the conversation I had with Carl Ikeme. The chat I had with him is a morale booster ahead of the game,” he said.
Ezenwa has been in great form for Nigeria in the last four games. He was in goal for the Super Eagles and he has not conceeded a goal in an open play. He was in goal for Nigeria in the friendly games of the Eagles against Corsica , which the team won 1-0 and the 2-0 bashing of Togo , before his heroics saves against Benin Republic endeared him to football loving Nigerians.