Former Nigeria international goalkeeper Emmanuel Babayaro has given reasons why Super Eagles goalkeeper for yesterday’s 0-2 loss to South Africa should be blamed for the goals conceded by the Nigerian team.
Chippa United goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi kept goal for Nigeria in the absence of first choice goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, and according to Babayaro it shows now more than ever that erstwhile first choice goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama is still needed.
The Atlanta 96 Olympic gold medallist insist the manner which South Africa scored their goals showed how poor Akpeyi is when it comes to organising his defence line.
” The first goal was from a cross, it’s part of his job to call out his defenders by shouting man to man, so they won’t lose their man, but he instead thought the cross was going to come through for him to pick, it didn’t happen and his defence wasn’t organised by him to deal with the goal scorer (Tokelo Rantie), that was poor”, Babayaro told Owngoalnigeria.com.
” You have to look at how hilarious the second goal is. First of all the goalkeeper is the last line of defence , he sees what others can’t see. I wonder why he didn’t ask a defender to stay in his own half. That’s so elementary to know.
” Secondly with scores at 0-1 when you caught out as a goalkeeper your first instinct is to foul the man, forget about the ball. Go for the man, get yourself sent off, take one for the team and let them respond. But he didn’t do any of such. He performed poorly I must say”.
Ade Emmanuel
