Peseiro defends Nwabali’s AFCON inclusion after fans outburst

The Nigerian national football team has tried addressing its ongoing goalkeeping issues by including Stanley Nwabali, a South Africa-based goalkeeper, in the squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, starting January 13.

This move by coach Jose Peseiro aims to resolve the goalkeeping challenges that have been a concern for the team since the retirement of former goalkeeper Carl Ikeme in 2018.NYSC Portal

Ikeme’s retirement due to a leukemia diagnosis left a significant void in the Super Eagles’ goalkeeping department. Since then, various goalkeepers have been tested, but none have matched Ikeme’s quality. The current Nigerian No.1, Francis Uzoho, has faced criticism for his recent performances, including mistakes in friendly matches against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique in Portugal last October.

Uzoho’s errors, such as inadvertently turning a free-kick into his own net and poor timing leading to a goal by Ghana’s Thomas Partey, have raised concerns among Nigerian football fans. These mistakes contributed to Nigeria missing out on the 2022 World Cup, marking the first time in 12 years that the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the tournament.

Another goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, who reportedly opted out of the squad for Ivory Coast, also faced criticism for his performance in the last AFCON, where Nigeria was eliminated in the last-16 stage.

In his tenure of nearly two years as the Super Eagles coach, Peseiro has experimented with three different goalkeepers in his search for a reliable option. The latest choice is 27-year-old Stanley Nwabali, who plays for Chippa United in South Africa. Nwabali has been impressive for his club, keeping seven clean sheets in 15 games and conceding 14 goals.

Peseiro, having observed Nwabali’s performance in a match against Golden Arrows in Johannesburg, included him in the final squad for the AFCON. Nwabali, who has previously played for the home-based Eagles and is remembered for his time in the Nigerian league, will hope to make his mark in the continental tournament.

The decision to include Nwabali has generated discussions among fans, reflecting the eagerness of the Nigerian football community for a stable and reliable presence in the goalkeeping position as the Super Eagles prepare to compete for the AFCON title.JAMB Portal

Thabang wrote on X, “I thought Nigeria only chooses players based in Europe and not South Africa!!!”

“Wait, no be him be the goalie wey dey always do time wasting tactics when he was in NPFL?” Fapohunda ‘Femi John queried.

Kabongo was quick to write that he wasn’t expecting much from the team.

“Pese is a clown, so if Nwabali makes mistakes like Uzoho, he will be benched but the low key bench chopping keeper will be in goal… This AFCON na fusa… no expectations.”JAMB Result

Domez comically wrote, “Stanley Nwabali yellow card anytime Nigeria is leading is a sure bet.”

A disappointing Ayobami George tweeted, “So our goalkeeping department is a test-and-run situation like this?

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However, in an interview on NFF TV, Peseiro explained why he decided to select Nwabali in his squad to AFCON.

“There were not many videos of the South African league available for us. But some friends sent us videos of Nwabali’s matches in the South African league,” Peseiro said.

“I asked the NFF president to let me go there. So, I was there in South Africa for four days to speak with him, I spoke to the coach, and a lot of people. I watched the training, the practice, and I watched one match. In the final list, we decided to add him to the list after the whole evaluation.InformationGuideNigeria

“We believe in him because because he showed good quality, good performance, and good capacities. Now I hope he displays the same quality he shows at his club.”

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