Despite being the hero in Nigeria’s penalty shootout against South Africa in the semi-final of TotalEnergies CAF AFCON, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has credited his teammates for his display.
Nwabali saved two crucial spot kicks and earned the Man of the Match award as Super Eagles continued its dominance over Bafana Bafana with 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Bouake on Wednesday, February 7.
Despite earning rave reviews for his shootout excellence, the humble keeper highlighted Nigeria’s team ethic. “It has been a good team performance throughout this tournament. I really appreciate the management and coaches,” Nwabali told CAFonline.com.
The Chippa United stopper lauded head coach Jose Peseiro in particular. Nwabali was delighted when Peseiro visited him in South Africa prior to AFCON, calling it a huge motivational factor.
“When the coach informed me he was coming to visit, for me it was one of the biggest things. A coach to come visit was a motivation. When he said he was coming I was really pleased,” Nwabali remarked.
This humility and modesty endeared Nwabali to Nigerian fans during a fairytale tournament.
His penalty heroics against South Africa will be remembered for generations, etching his name into Nigerian folklore.
Yet for Nwabali, it is all about the team. As Nigeria prepared for the final against Cote d”Ivoire or DR Congo, their unwavering spirit could prove the difference.
Nwabali embodies this spirit, deflecting praise and driving standards higher. “These guys have really guided me a lot throughout this tournament, and I feel so happy,” he said.