Super Eagles Goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali To Set New AFCON Record Against South Africa

Super Eagles of Nigeria goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, has an opportunity to make an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) record when his team faces South Africa in the tournament’s semi-final later today.

Stanley Nwabali is expected to be in goal for the 6th time in the tournament when the Super Eagles take on the Bafana Bafana at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 7.

If Nwabali manages not to concede any goal in the match, the 27-year-old Chippa United of South Africa goalie will become the first Nigerian goalkeeper to keep five consecutive clean sheets in the history of AFCON.

Recall that Nwabali became the third Nigerian goalkeeper in the history of AFCON to keep four clean sheets in a row after the Super Eagles defeated Angola in the quarter-finals stage on February 2.

With this feat, he surpassed the run of legendary goalkeeper Alloy Agu, who kept three clean sheets in the 1990 AFCON.

Currently, only Ike Shorunmu and late Best Ogedengbe have the same number of clean sheets in a row (4) as Stanley Nwabali in the history of the tournament.

Hence, if the Super Eagles beat South Africa without conceding any goal this evening, Nwabali will become the first and only Nigerian goalkeeper to record five straight clean sheets in the history of AFCON. He will also become the only Nigerian goalkeeper to record five consecutive clean sheets in any senior international competition.