Rohr: Akpeyi Has A Good Chance To Be One Of Our Three GKs At World Cup

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has more or less confirmed that Chippa United goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi will be one of the two African based players poised to be named in Nigeria's World Cup roster, the other being Enyimba's Ikechukwu Ezenwa.

The Super Eagles faithful criticized Akpeyi for making a schoolboy error in Nigeria's 4-2 win over Argentina last November, but Rohr has backed him nonetheless, saying the goalkeeper is working hard and was unlucky when the national team lost to South Africa in an African Cup of Nations qualifier last year.

''He has good chances to be one of our three goalkeepers for the World Cup,'' Rohr told the print edition of Soccer Laduma.

''Unfortunately, our first-choice keeper Carl Ikeme is still suffering from acute leukemia. We had a recent injury to Ikechukwu Ezenwa, but he will soon return to fitness.

''We have also discovered a young keeper in Francis Uzoho, who plays for Deportivo La Coruna. He played well against Argentina in the second half.

''Akpeyi was a bit unfortunate in our only defeat against South Africa.

''But he is working hard, he is fighting and he has a chance to be part of our World Cup squad.''

The 31-year-old Akpeyi has posted seven clean-sheets in 16 appearances for Chippa United in the ABSA Premiership this season.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel