Super Eagles’ goalie Nwabali doubtful for AFCON
Super Eagles’ number one goalie, Stanley Nwabali, could miss out on Nigeria’s participation at AFCON 2025 due to injury.
Nwabali’s coach, Vusumuzi Vilakazi, at South African club Chippa United, confirmed that the keeper was battling ankle and hand injuries.
The 29-year-old keeper has not played for the Chilli Boys since Nigeria were beaten by the Democratic Republic of the Congo last month on post-match penalties in their World Cup qualifying play-off in Rabat, Morocco.
Consequently, Vilakazi said it was not looking good for Nwabali to make a quick return in readiness for this month’s AFCON. “I doubt it, looking at the state of his injury,” he told supersport.com.
“I don’t think he will make it, but when I was talking to him, he was confident that he will recover very soon. But obviously, you will understand, because he’s a player and he wants to be there at the Cup of Nations finals.
“But the reality is that, for now, he is still injured. I also hope for the best that he might find himself there,” added Vilakazi. “It’s an ankle injury, but then also the hand needs an operation because he’s been playing with that injured hand for a while now, and he aggravated the injury while he was in Morocco.”
Nwabali was first choice for Nigeria as they reached the final of the last AFCON, where they were beaten 2-1 by the Ivory Coast in the deciding game.
Eagles’ coach Eric Chelle listed Nwabali in a provisional squad announced last week, but the Franco-Malian tactician is yet to make his final 27-man selection for the tournament.
