Stanley Nwabali Insists He Is Not Super Eagles First Choice Goalkeeper

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, has insisted he is still not the team’s first-choice goalkeeper, though he has played in all the 2023 AFCON games so far in the tournament.

Stanley Nwabali was invited to the Super Eagles squad ahead of the 2023 AFCON after several Nigerian fans used social media to call the attention of coach Jose Peseiro to the goalkeeper.

The 27-year-old Chippa United of South Africa goalkeeper got into the team when there was a goalkeeper crisis, as most Nigerians were not pleased with the performance of Francis Uzoho of Omonia.

Interestingly, coach Jose Peseiro has been using him from their pre-AFCON friendly game against Guinea, which ended in a 1-0 defeat to the Nigerian team.

Stanley Nwabali was in between the sticks when Nigeria drew 1-1 with Equatorial Guinea, and his high level of confidence made a lot of difference in the game.

Thanks to his ability to organize his defense and stay calm under pressure, Nwabali recorded two successive clean sheets in Super Eagles’ subsequent 2023 AFCON matches against Ivory Coast (1-0 win for Nigeria), and Guinea-Bissau (1-0 win for Nigeria.

Hence, most football enthusiasts see him as the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for the Super Eagles, but the former Enyimba of Aba goalkeeper disagrees.

He said, “I am still not seeing myself as number one; I always say this. I only have an opportunity, and I just want to play and give my best.”

On Super Eagles’ struggle for goals, the goalkeeper added, “For me, the goals will come when you have someone like Victor Osimhen; for me, we are not worried about goals but about the three points. And now we have qualified. Monday’s win (over Guinea-Bissau) is a nice feeling for me and the team.”

Stanley Nwabali is expected to be between the sticks when the Super Eagles of Nigeria take on Cameroon in the 2023 AFCON round of 16 at 9 p.m. on Saturday, January 27.