The arrival of two Super Eagles goalkeepers appeared to remove a huge burden from Coach Gernot Rohr and other players in time for the Thursday, March 23, 2017 friendly against Senegal.
Goalkeepers Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi finally joined the rest of the Eagles squad on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning respectively.
Both goalkeepers had been delayed by visa hiccups in Nigeria and South Africa respectively, and with first choice goalkeeper Carl Ikeme doubtful.
This led Rohr to call up the unknown Tope Okeowo from Peckham All Stars as insurance.
Team doctor Ibrahim Gyaran revealed that Ikeme has been having hamstring and Achilles tendon issues.
“We are still awaiting the result of a scan we did on him Wednesday.
“We are glad that the other goalkeepers have arrived. Their delay had put toll on Rohr,” he explained.
Ezenwa eventually got his visa on Tuesday evening and flew out of Lagos to London on Wednesday along side Coach Salisu Yusuf, while South Africa-based Akpeyi’s visa was delayed by a public holiday in South Africa.
He did the 11-hour haul from Johannesburg to London overnight and arrived at Crowne Plaza London Ealing, after breakfast on Thursday.
By Felix Simire
