Lille coach hails Enyeama

 

Vincent Enyeama

Lille coach Rene Girard heaped praise on Vincent Enyeama after the Nigeria goalkeeper kept an 11th straight clean sheet in Tuesday night’s 1-0 Ligue 1 victory over Marseille.

The 31-year-old has conceded only four goals in 16 top-flight games this term and has not been beaten for 1,035 minutes, meaning he is closing in on all the all-time record in France – 1,176 minutes,  set by former Bordeaux goalkeeper Gaetan Huard in 1992/93, Sky  Sports reports.

“Enyeama? So much has been said,” Girard said. “He was equal to everything, and made critical decisions.

“He is still going. His strength is that he attributes his success to colleagues, to the team. He knows he has players in front of him giving their maximum. He is grounded.

“We do not think about Huard’s record at the moment. We’ll see. It will be complicated. We do not put pressure on him. But, if he can continue like this until the end of the season, we will take it!”

Enyeama, who was in Nigeria for the World Cup match against Ethiopia, said he was indifferent to the record chase.

“I don’t let the count bother me. My concern is to help my team win as many games as possible,” he said.

Nolan Roux’s stoppage-time winner lifted second-placed Lille to within one point of leaders Paris Saint-Germain, rounding off a highly productive evening for Girard’s men.

“It was quite close in the first half, and a little more open in the second period, with perhaps a penalty that could have been given for a foul on Nolan, plus Vincent produced two or three important saves,” Girard said.

“I thought we were moving towards a 0-0 logically enough, but we kept going and managed to score in stoppage time.”

Girard acknowledged his side were “a little lucky” to have taken all three points, but was delighted they maintained their Champions League push.

“We must continue to work with tranquillity. OM will be back, because they are strong,” he said.

“We’re on 36 points today and we have earned them. We were a little lucky (against Marseille).

“But football is so fast moving and so many things are happening that we must take advantage of the good times. We know that we will have more difficult (results to take) and must then remain humble, but let us be happy.”

Girard was pleased with the atmosphere inside the Grand Stade Lille Metropole, despite fears heading into the game over the reception in store for returning midfielder Florian Thauvin following his acrimonious summer switch to the Stade Velodrome.

“I saw the red and white, and a very good atmosphere in the stadium,” he said. “It was not as bad as some predicted. People are happy, even if we were not radiant or dominating the game. They see the boys on the pitch giving their all and the fans understand that.”