Top Copa 'keeper Emuria wants to emulate Man United’s De Gea

When Kenya won this year’s Copa Coca-Cola Africa Cup of Nations’ under-16 tournament, scooping both the girls’ and boys’ titles in Nakuru last weekend, one boy from the arid Turkana County was among those who excited his home nation’s fans.

Issa Emuria, 14, conceded only one goal in all five matches and later saved two penalties from a stubborn Nigeria side in the final of the 12-nation tournament at Afraha Stadium.

His performance earned him the “Golden Glove” award for the best goalkeeper of the continental tournament. The lone goal was conceded in the excitement of Kenya's 11-1 victory over Ethiopia in the opening Group ‘A’ match.

Next month, Emuria will be joining Form Two at St Anthony’s Boys High School in Kitale after scoring a mean grade of C+ in the end of Form One examinations.

Despite his good academic performance, Emuria wants to become a professional goalkeeper, his role model being Spain’s Manchester United ‘keeper David de Gea.

"I enjoy watching his saves while Manchester United are playing and those are the skills I wish to have,” he told Nation Sport earlier this week.

Locally, he hopes to sign for Bandari FC once he’s done with his secondary school education.

FOUR CLEANSHEETS

He says listening to the coach, discipline, passion and working hard are the virtues he hopes will carry him all the way.

"Just after conceding a goal in the 11-1 win over Ethiopia, I recalled the words on my coach Peter Mayoyo and trainers that I should not let my eyes off the ball when I am in the goal,” he recalls.

“That is why the rest of the matches were clean sheets until I conceded two penalties and managed to save two for my school and country."

The clean sheets include 1-0 win over Zambia in the semi-finals, another 1-0 over Uganda in quarter-finals and a comfortable 3-0 win when they faced Botswana.

Emuria was received by football fans, residents and Lodwar's Islamic Football Club players and officials at Lodwar Airport on Tuesday morning. It was at Islamic Football Club that his talent was identified and nurtured before he joined Form One this year at St Anthony’s.

The last born in a family of four says were it not for the support of the Islamic Centre, his educational journey could not have been smooth and neither could his talent have been discovered.

The centre, that supports orphans and children from poor background right from nursery school level, has also nurtured his elder brother Issa Ekeno who is currently on trials at Kenyan Premier League club Mathare United.

The centre has 52 players in the under-12, Under-17 and senior categories. Islamic FC head coach Saudi Emase praised Emuria for his discipline and focus both in class and on the pitch.

"I have seen the boy grow right from nursery school to where he is, and what I ask Football Kenya Federation is to support grassroots football academies, especially in places like Turkana that has been marginalised for many years," Daudi said.

He said many football players in Turkana have never stepped on a grass football pitch. “All our pitches are bare and with this harsh environment, it takes courage, passion and sacrifice to develop talent,” he adds.

Turkana also boasts of having produced top players such as Sydney Lokale, who scored the solitary goal as a substitute when Kariobangi Sharks beat Gor Mahia in the Kenya Premier League Super Cup final on December 2.