Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr says junior Super Eagles goalkeeper Francis Uzoho could be used at the 208 FIFA World Cup in Russia as first choice.
The coach was speaking to reporters in Abuja as he met the Nigeria Football Federation general secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, on the preparation for the friendly against Congo in Port Harcourt.
He said he has checked the pitch and has made his observations known, and hopefully it will be ready on time for the game.
On his 35-man team list for the World cup, Rohr stated that he would submit the list to the NFF by May 4.
“I don’t think goalkeeping is the weak link in my team,” Rohr told CompleteSportsNigeria in Abuja.
“After we lost Carl Ikeme to sickness, we had what seemed like a goalkeeping crisis but Ikechukwu Ezenwa did well in the qualifiers but we kept looking for options.
“Francis Uzoho came as an option because to go to the World cup, you require two good goalkeepers and I must say he has done well in the three games he has played for the Super Eagles that I won’t be afraid to start him in our opening game against Croatia at the World Cup in Russia.
“Francis is good and tall, and he is ready to learn. He did well in the friendly games against Argentina and Poland with two clean sheets and conceded two goals against Serbia in his third game in which I experimented with some players and tactics.
“I don’t believe he will get stage fright playing against the likes of Messi and other big names in Russia, because after playing against the likes of Lewandowski of Poland, Aguero and Di Maria of Argentina, I am optimistic that he would rise to the occasion in Russia.”