Football fans in Ebonyi State have raised alarm over the performances of Super Eagles’ first choice goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho, and the entire backline as the team prepares for the Russia 2018 World Cup.
The fans were reacting to the Super Eagles’ 0-1 loss to the Czech Republic national team in an international friendly in Austria on Wednesday in Abakaliki.
Benjamin Umeh, Goalkeeper Trainer of the defunct Nitel Vasco Dagama FC of Enugu, noted that Uzoho was culpable in the lone goal scored by the Czech Republic in the first half of the encounter.
Umeh said: “Uzoho should have held the ball instead of parrying it to an opponent as he has proved vulnerable to dead ball situations in his previous Eagles appearances.
“The Eagles defence should realise that its opponents in the friendly matches are mince meats compared to more competitive opponents it would meet in the World Cup.”
Harrison Obasi, Coach of Ebonyi FA Cup Runners Up, Alter Nite FC, noted that Nigerians should not be alarmed if Uzoho falters at the World Cup in Russia.
Obasi said: “Ikechukwu Ezenwa bailed the country during the qualifiers when all goalkeeping hopes were lost following Daniel Akpeyi’s erratic performances against South Africa in the AFCON 2019 qualifiers.
“Ezenwa performed creditably in subsequent World Cup qualifiers against Cameroon, Zambia and Algeria and it is still a puzzle how (Coach Gernor) Rohr preferred Uzoho to him.”
Supporting Obasi’s assertion, Chima Ojigwe, a soccer Historian, said with the goalkeeping predicament Nigeria found itself during the World Cup qualifiers, Ezenwa could had been the best bet for the team.
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