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Akwa United were in the first game of the 2023 season, stunned in front of their home fans, and lost their captain to injury in the process.
Despite goalkeeping blunders that led to his team losing 2-0 in their first game of the NPFL season against Bendel Insurance, Akwa United boss Deji Ayeni has come out to defend Godsgift Elkanah.
Akwa United were in the first game of the 2023 season, stunned in front of their home fans, with goals from Imade Osehenkhoe and Ismael Seriki securing a 2-0 win for promoted Bendel Insurance.
The defeat now leaves the 2021 Nigerian champions just a place off the last position in Group A.
Elkanah absolved of blame by Ayeni
Speaking ahead of the side's second game of the season, Ayeni described the club's first-choice keeper as a fantastic player who had a bad day.
"Elkanah is a fantastic goalkeeper, we cannot rule it out. He's just unfortunate that the two mistakes that he had, were costly ones that caused some uncomfortable result," Ayeni said during his pre-match interview on Monday.
The 50-year-old tactician continued by saying Elkanah's blunders changes nothing for Akwa United, neither did it deny the goalkeeper a place in the club's program.
"If he still feels he's going to be the one that's going to keep, you'd see him on that matchday [against Enyimba]. If there's going to be a change, you'd see it too on the matchday.
"All the keepers in the team are ready to go, they are all good-quality goalkeepers that can rise to the occasion."
Friday ruled out of Enyimba's game due to injury
Speaking on the availability on Friday, Ayeni revealed that the winger was ruled out for at least two more weeks, having been stretched out in the home defeat to Bendel Insurance.
"It was a very big disappointment to me especially, because he's a leader, a charismatic leader. He had a very big injury on that matchday, his leg was torn, and he has stitches on his left leg, so we had to rest him for him to be okay before our next game.
"I think he would be before our next home game.
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The Akwa United boss concluded by revealing that there will be a slight change in the team that started in the home defeat against Bendel Insurance. He added that it was time for his side to start looking at areas of their mistakes and start injecting corrections and playing personnel that could rise to the occasion.
They play Enyimba at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba as the season progresses into its second week.
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