Football
Colin Udoh, Special to ESPN 7y

Gernot Rohr sticks to his Nigeria goalkeeping options

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr will not add any new goalkeepers to his squad for the 2018 World Cup qualifying double-header against Cameroon - despite their struggles in that department.

Instead, new goalkeeper trainer Enrico Pionetti will attempt to beat the current crop into some semblance of international shape.

First-choice Carl Ikeme has been ruled out after an unfortunate leukemia diagnosis, while Daniel Akpeyi's tremulous performance failed to inspire confidence in a 2-0 home defeat to South Africa.

Ikechuwku Ezenwa has not enjoyed the trust of Rohr, but the German tells KweséESPN that he will not be calling up any fresh faces.

"There is no new goalkeeper coming in for the moment," Rohr says. "We have the help of goalkeeper coach Enrico Pionetti [so] we will work hard on that."

The 62-year-old Pionetti was born in Parma and spent his entire playing career in Italy, mostly with his longest and most productive senior stint at Lecce. He worked as goalkeeper trainer with Rohr at French club OGC Nice, and then again when he managed Burkina Faso

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