Enyeama, Ujah blame fatigue

June 22, 2013 Vincent Enyeama and Tony Ajah believe physical and mental fatigue played a part in the Super Eagles’ defeat by Uruguay in the Confederations Cup in Brazil. Diego Forlan’s 51st minute left-footed drive finished off a counterattack to help Uruguay beat Nigeria 2-1 in the Group B encounter in Salvador on Thursday. And the victory brightened the South Americans’ chances of reaching the semifinals. PANA reports that the Eagles flew 11 hours from their camp in Germany to Houston, USA, for a friendly encounter with Mexico, and then made a return trip the next day covering the same distance before another six-hour flight to Kenya for their June 5 World Cup qualifier against the Harambee Stars. That was followed by another flight to Namibia, then South Africa for 11-hour trans-Atlantic flight to Brazil for the Confederations Cup. Enyeama told reporters after the defeat to Uruguay that flying long distances in the last three weeks had weakened the players. However, the Eagles goalkeeper and stand-in captain said he and his colleagues would build up their stamina to enable them to beat Spain in their last group match in the Confederations Cup on Sunday. Germany-based striker Ujah, who sat on the bench throughout the match, said it had not been easy travelling long distances and playing competitive matches. culled from punch news