Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama has emerged the fifth best
player in the Castrol Index statistical top 10 ranking following his
outstanding performance in the ongoing 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
FIFA released the Castrol Index ranking after the second round of group fixtures. The latest Castrol Index comes out after every round of matches.
Enyeama’s efforts in the Super Eagles Group F matches against Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina earned him a place in the ranking with 9.59 points having kept clean sheet in the two games.
The Maccabi Tel Aviv shot stopper made several close-range saves during Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina. Two games in the tournament, Enyeama has made eight saves that prevented the opponents any chance to find the back of the net, notably among them was a last minute attempt by the Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Eden Dzeko which was saved by Nigeria goalkeeper.
The Bnei Yehuda goalkeeper is relatively known for best performance. Enyeama kept 11 consecutive clean sheets in Ligue 1 matches during the first half of the 2013–14 season. He thus came within 114 minutes of equalling Gaëtan Huard’s Division 1 or Ligue 1 goalkeeping record, set in 1993, of playing 1,176 minutes without conceding a goal.
France striker Karim Benzema’s eye-catching performance at the Arena Fonte Nova on Friday evening ensured he has ended the second round of 2014 FIFA World Cup group fixtures at the top of the Castrol Index statistical ranking with 9.77 points, just ahead of the Netherlands duo of Robin van Persie (9.72) and Arjen Robben (9.67). With a goal average of 2.9 per match – by comparison, the figure for South Africa 2010 was 2.3 – it is no surprise to see three forwards up there, with Benzema leading the way.
Switching to the left side of France’s three-man attack, he gave the Switzerland defence nightmares with his clever movement, pace and sheer appetite for goals throughout the Group E fixture in Salvador and besides scoring once – a volley on the turn from close range – also set up another two for Blaise Matuidi and Moussa Sissoko. He was a split-second from having a second goal too, scoring with a spectacular long-range strike just as the final whistle sounded. France have now had 42 goal attempts over two games – more than any other side in Brazil – and Benzema’s hunger is underlined by the fact he has contributed 15 of them, with 11 on target.
While the Netherlands pair have climbed from sixth and seventh respectively, Brazil defender David Luiz remains in fourth place after helped the hosts earn a clean sheet in the Group A goalless draw with Mexico, limiting their opponents to three shots on target. That same game featured a save by Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa from Neymar that “was almost a Gordon Banks” in the words of the great Pele, evoking the then England goalkeeper’s famous stop from his seemingly goal-bound header at the 1970 finals. Ochoa has climbed into the Index top ten with his efforts, which earned him a second clean sheet.
Three other players have entered the top ten, starting with sixth-placed Croatia midfielder Ivan Perisic, who set up his side’s opening goal and struck the second himself in the eventual 4-0 dismantling of Cameroon. Ecuador forward Enner Valencia is seventh after his two goals earned his country victory over Honduras, and took his tally to the tournament for three.
And last but not least, Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez is ninth after producing a second Man of the Match performance already in the 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast. He has shone with his passing and vision, and it is also worth noting he has actually covered more distance – running 21km in two games – than any other Colombia player. To top it all he even scored a rare goal with his head and is unlikely to disagree with Deschamps’ suggestion that this Brazilian setting is bringing the best out of players.
FIFA released the Castrol Index ranking after the second round of group fixtures. The latest Castrol Index comes out after every round of matches.
Enyeama’s efforts in the Super Eagles Group F matches against Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina earned him a place in the ranking with 9.59 points having kept clean sheet in the two games.
The Maccabi Tel Aviv shot stopper made several close-range saves during Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina. Two games in the tournament, Enyeama has made eight saves that prevented the opponents any chance to find the back of the net, notably among them was a last minute attempt by the Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Eden Dzeko which was saved by Nigeria goalkeeper.
The Bnei Yehuda goalkeeper is relatively known for best performance. Enyeama kept 11 consecutive clean sheets in Ligue 1 matches during the first half of the 2013–14 season. He thus came within 114 minutes of equalling Gaëtan Huard’s Division 1 or Ligue 1 goalkeeping record, set in 1993, of playing 1,176 minutes without conceding a goal.
France striker Karim Benzema’s eye-catching performance at the Arena Fonte Nova on Friday evening ensured he has ended the second round of 2014 FIFA World Cup group fixtures at the top of the Castrol Index statistical ranking with 9.77 points, just ahead of the Netherlands duo of Robin van Persie (9.72) and Arjen Robben (9.67). With a goal average of 2.9 per match – by comparison, the figure for South Africa 2010 was 2.3 – it is no surprise to see three forwards up there, with Benzema leading the way.
Switching to the left side of France’s three-man attack, he gave the Switzerland defence nightmares with his clever movement, pace and sheer appetite for goals throughout the Group E fixture in Salvador and besides scoring once – a volley on the turn from close range – also set up another two for Blaise Matuidi and Moussa Sissoko. He was a split-second from having a second goal too, scoring with a spectacular long-range strike just as the final whistle sounded. France have now had 42 goal attempts over two games – more than any other side in Brazil – and Benzema’s hunger is underlined by the fact he has contributed 15 of them, with 11 on target.
While the Netherlands pair have climbed from sixth and seventh respectively, Brazil defender David Luiz remains in fourth place after helped the hosts earn a clean sheet in the Group A goalless draw with Mexico, limiting their opponents to three shots on target. That same game featured a save by Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa from Neymar that “was almost a Gordon Banks” in the words of the great Pele, evoking the then England goalkeeper’s famous stop from his seemingly goal-bound header at the 1970 finals. Ochoa has climbed into the Index top ten with his efforts, which earned him a second clean sheet.
Three other players have entered the top ten, starting with sixth-placed Croatia midfielder Ivan Perisic, who set up his side’s opening goal and struck the second himself in the eventual 4-0 dismantling of Cameroon. Ecuador forward Enner Valencia is seventh after his two goals earned his country victory over Honduras, and took his tally to the tournament for three.
And last but not least, Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez is ninth after producing a second Man of the Match performance already in the 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast. He has shone with his passing and vision, and it is also worth noting he has actually covered more distance – running 21km in two games – than any other Colombia player. To top it all he even scored a rare goal with his head and is unlikely to disagree with Deschamps’ suggestion that this Brazilian setting is bringing the best out of players.
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