Former Super Eagles coach and captain Sunday Oliseh has hailed Stanley Nwabali after his penalty shootout heroics which propelled Nigeria to reach the final of the AFCON in Ivory Coast at the expense of South Africa.
The Chippa United goalkeeper stopped two penalties during the shootout to help Nigeria win 4-2 while Ronwen Williams, Bafana Bafana’s hero from the quarterfinals against Cape Verde was beaten four times by the Nigerian spot kick takers.
The game had ended 1-1 after normal regulation time plus extra time. William Troost-Ekong opened the scoring for Nigeria in the 63rd minute from the penalty spot. At the same time, Teboho Mokoena also beat Stanley Nwabali from the penalty spot in the 90th minute to drag the game to extra time. Teboho Mokoena almost gave his side the win with a well-taken freekick, but Nwabali was available to palm it away.
Nwabali has been one of the revelations of the tournament. The 27-year-old former Enyimba and Go Round FC shot-stopper displaced Francis Uzoho to become the country’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Also read: AFCON: Peseiro lauds South Africa after Eagles’ penalty shootout win
His performance on the night earned him plaudits from Oliseh after the match, “Nwabali! Nwabali !! Nwabali !!! After Osimhen’s 5-star performance, another hero is born! What composure, belief in God, and reassuring Smile by our Naija goalkeeper to send us to the AFCON Final. Now I can face my FIFA colleagues with a smile .. lol,” Oliseh posted on microblogging site X, formally Twitter.
Wilfred Ndidi who missed the AFCON due to injury also took to X to hail his teammate who put up a Man of the Match performance.
