Vincent Enyeama's impressive display in Lille's 1-0 win over Montpellier at the weekend which ensured he has not conceeded a goal in 495 minutes of action (five consecutive Lique 1 games) has earned the Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper plaudits from both his manager and team-mates....
The 31-year-old produced a classy display between the posts for Les Dogues as they beat the 2011/12 Ligue 1 champions in their own back yard to stay third.
The former Hapoel Tel Aviv star pulled off a number of crucial saves in the tight affair including a penalty save,with boss Rene Girard singling him out for praise after the match.
"For us, this is a great victory. It's nice to get the three points. Vincent (Enyeama) took out a big game, he's a cat. He managed three and four important decisions when he was called to action, this is not simple," the manager told the club's official website.
Striker Nolan Roux echoed his boss' sentiments, while captain Rio Mavuba believes the Super Eagles star's efforts were vital as Lille held on for the win after taking the lead in the fourth minute.
"It was (a) hard (game) physically for the strikers as we did not have many opportunities. Then, Vincent (Enyeama) did his job in the best way possible," Roux said.
Mavuba added: "We must congratulate all the defensive work of the team, with special mention of Vincent (Enyeama) who was impressive (Saturday) tonight." The Nigerian has thus kept eight clean sheets in 10 league games for Lille.He last conceeded on September 15 when Lille lost 2-0 at home to OG NICE.
Despite the record-setting feat,Enyeama insists he is not keeping count of his clean sheets.
"I'm really one person who doesn't keep statistics. I just keep doing my thing, I keep going. The most important thing for me now is to see how much I can help Lille achieve our ambition for the season. Not really the clean sheets. I prefer we win 10-9 than play 0-0."
So far, however, Enyeama has been able to have his cake and eat it. Girard's side have failed to score in just three matches, and a run of one defeat and five wins in their last eight league encounters has taken them into the top three. That looked an unlikely scenario when, following their missing out on European qualification on the final day of last season, key members of the first-team squad followed 2010-11 double-winning boss Rudi Garcia out of the door. Enyeama told The Ligue 1 Show the exodus had made those left behind form a united front.
"There's that love, that togetherness, everybody is really working for each other, and we realise we are not counting anyone as a big star in the team. We all believe we've got a point to prove. Nobody is a big star, nobody is a small star, we are all the same."
That has not always been the case for Enyeama who found himself very much second-choice to Mickaël Landreau when he moved to Lille in 2011, and did not play a single game in his maiden campaign in France.
"That season wasn't the best season for me, you know it affected a whole lot of things in my life. But it belongs to my history. I met great people, I met Rudi, I met Landreau, I met the staff. It was my first season in Europe, my first official season in Europe. I want to thank God for that season, and for this season, it's been amazing so far. I love the weather, for now the sun is shining. I love it here. It's really amazing here,"said Enyeama.
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