Why Nwabali Missed Opportunity With Super Eagles In 2019 – Ex-NFF VP Reveals

A former Vice President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Shehu Dikko, has shed light on why Stanley Nwabali struggled to secure a spot in the Super Eagles team during Gernot Rohr’s tenure.

Nwabali has emerged as a standout player in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, delivering exceptional performances that have propelled the Super Eagles to the final against the host country this Sunday.

The outstanding displays of Chippa United’s goalkeeper, who now occupies the top spot in the Eagles’ lineup, have surprised many previously unfamiliar with him before the AFCON. However, Shehu Dikko revealed that he had been under the national team’s observation.

Dikko wrote on his X handle on Friday, “Nwabali has always been on the radar of the National team. I recall in June 2019, during the NPFL Super Six in Lagos, and he was on the books of Enyimba FC, we invited Gernot Rohr to watch him as a potential successor/competitor to Uzoho.

“Unfortunately, his club GM went to inform him that Rohr was around to check on him, thinking he was helping him, but that made him so jittery being a young keeper just getting into the grove.

“But he has always been a very good keeper as he even made the NPFL Allstar team in 2022 for the Budweiser match with John Terry and Roberto Carlos and the homebase Super Eagles match with Mexico in the USA.

“Anyway, God’s time is always the best, and he has once again proved the talent available in the domestic game.”

The former Lobi Stars, Enyimba, and Katsina United goalkeeper not only made remarkable saves to thwart South African players from scoring during Wednesday’s semi-final game but also saved two penalty kicks in the shootout, securing the Eagles’ advancement to the final.

His outstanding performance earned the 27-year-old the Man of the Match award in the semi-final encounter.

Nwabali has only conceded two goals in the AFCON so far: one against Equatorial Guinea and the other, a penalty kick against South Africa.

Millions of Nigerian fans are hopeful that he maintains his form as the Eagles confront Ivory Coast in the 2023 AFCON final on Sunday.