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I’m ready to be Eagles’ number one goalkeeper, says Daniel Akpeyi

By Editor
01 April 2015   |   4:48 pm
Speaking on his aspirations in the national team, the Warri Wolves 28-year-old goalkeeper said he is ready to be Nigeria’s number one and also says the team need time to blend.
Daniel Akpeyi says he wants to become Nigeria’s number one goalkeeper.

Daniel Akpeyi says he wants to become Nigeria’s number one goalkeeper.

Fresh from an impressive outing in South Africa where the Bafana Bafana held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw, Daniel Akpeyi now wants to be Nigeria’s number one goalkeeper.

Akpeyi capped an impressive performance on Sunday with a penalty save when the game was still goalless.

Speaking on his aspirations in the national team, the Warri Wolves 28-year-old goalkeeper said he is ready to be Nigeria’s number one and also says the team need time to blend.

In the absence of captain Vincent Enyeama, and vice-captain Austin Ejide, Akpeyi stood firmly against the South Africans, who were looking for their first victory over Nigeria since 2004.

And buoyed by that performance, Akpeyi to the NFF website, “I have always been ready to be Nigeria’s first choice goalkeeper.

“And I would say it was a great privilege to be in goal for my country on Sunday and it turned out to be the way it was.

“I’m only doing what I’m supposed to do as a goalkeeper and surprisingly I heard people congratulating me for having such a good game.

“But anytime any day, I think I will always prepare my mind to be ready for such occasion again.”

But despite having a great individual game, it wasn’t the best of games for the team and the 28-year old says it will take some time for them to gel since some new players are only just coming through.

“Football is not an individual game, it’s a team sport and when you have new players coming together, it will take some time for them to blend,” Akpeyi said.

However, he said it was a great game for him on a personal level.

“It was a very beautiful day and game for me and it is the wish of every player to have an outstanding day on the pitch and by the grace of God, I was able to have one of those days,” he said.

Reflecting on the penalty he saved, Akpeyi said, “As a goalkeeper you have only two tings running through your mind at that point. One was that the mistake had already been made and the second was that I had to concentrate because it was possible I could save it.

“And luckily, I went to the right place at the right time and I was able to save the spot kick.”

Akpeyi was a late call-up to the team after captain and first choice goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, pulled out due to injury, and he did enough to displace Theophilus Afelokhai to get a starting berth in Nelspruit.

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