4th December, 2013
Nigeria international Vincent Enyeama has received accolades from the President of Marseille, Vincent Labrune for keeping a clean sheet in 1035 minutes of Ligue 1 matches without conceding a goal following Lille’s 1 – 0 defeat of Marseille yesterday’s evening.
The 31 – year – old has kept 14 clean-sheets (includes 11 on the bounce) in his last 16 games, the second longest streak in the history of the French championship.
Labrune showered praise on the Super Eagles’ goalkeeper, who previously had not played an official game in the league before the start of the 2013 – 2014 season.
L’Equipe quoted Labrune as saying : “Vincent Enyeama’s performance? At this level, he’s a running gag. He has had an outstanding game.”
Enyeama moved past 1000 minutes in not conceding a goal — since the 2-0 defeat by Nice on September 15 — taking it to 1035 minutes.
The 31-year-old goalkeeper — who captained Nigeria to their Africa Cup of Nations triumph earlier this year — is second on the all-time top flight list behind Frenchman Gaetan Huard who in the 1992-1993 season didn’t concede a goal for Bordeaux for 1176 minutes.
“What can I say! I am just enjoying the moment,” Enyeama told Bein Sport. “It’s not just me, though, it is the whole group. We stay strong like a team. We have the spirit and the strength. I don’t know what is possible now. All I can say is that I have a great team round me and a great set of coaches.”
A goal two minutes into time added on by Nolan Roux gave Lille a priceless 1-0 win over Marseille and consolidated their second spot in the table.
Roux’s sixth goal of the season was a bit harsh on a Marseille side that had several superb chances throughout the game but found Nigerian international goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama in imperious form.
Lille’s win moved them to within a point of leaders Paris Saint Germain, who play Evian on Wednesday, while Marseille are nine points adrift of PSG and being threatened for fourth spot by Nantes, who grabbed a late winner in a 2-1 victory over struggling Valenciennes.
Monaco can turn up the pressure on PSG later on Tuesday by beating Nice away and move to within two points of the defending champions.