NIGERIA TREAT KEEPER WITH KID GLOVES
Volgograd Arena KICK-OFF 4PM BBC
FRANCIS UZOHO may be the youngest keeper in the World Cup but he is already making a name for himself.
The gangly 19-year-old has played only seven times for Nigeria and even fewer for his club, Deportivo La Coruna of Spain.
Yet coach Gernot Rohr has entrusted him with the gloves for the tournament, including for today’s clash with Iceland, a match the manager describes as Croatia Iceland Argentina Nigeria must-win. “He is the youngest goalkeeper in the World Cup but he is cool-headed,” said Rohr. “He is the solution for the future.” Under normal circumstances, Uzoho would not be anywhere near P W D L GD Pts 22 0 0 5 6 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 1 -3 1 1 0 0 1 -2 0 the starting 11 in Russia. But first-choice keeper Carl Ikeme was diagnosed with acute leukaemia last year and his replacement Daniel Akpeyi appeared jittery in the few games he played.
Uzoho said: “I know what Nigerians expect from their goalkeepers.”