The performance of the goalkeeper and captain of the Nigerian CHAN team Ikechukwu Ezenwa in Sunday’s quarter final 2-1 win over Argentina didn’t come as a surprise to coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr.
Ezenwa was brilliant between the sticks for Nigeria, and played a big role in helping Nigeria stay in the game after Angola took the lead ten minutes into the start of the second half.
During the course of the game, Ezenwa made four big saves from one on one situations, and was also decisive in dealing with crosses into his box as well as organising his defence to deal with the threat of the Angolans.
His performance won him accolades especially among some Nigerians who were skeptical over the fact that he could be in goal for Nigeria at the World Cup, as he is presently the preferred choice of coach Gernot Rohr.
Rohr was however not surprised by his performance, with the Franco-German coach revealing after the game that he is aware of his qualities especially in dealing with one on one situations.
” It’s not a new thing to me because you know, I know Ezenwa very well , and that is why I put him in goal against Cameroon and in Algeria ( World Cup 2018 Qualifiers) because he is a good goalkeeper “, Rohr told journalists in Morocco.
” In one on one situation, he is one of the best and in the reflex he is also a very good option, and he should it again today. He saved three to four one on one situations. A team needs a good goalkeeper, you know I have him and a local player can play in Super Eagles main team, that’s what he has proven”.
Osas Mahawi
