SUPER Eagles coach Jose Peseiro is keeping his cards close to his chest about his preferred goalkeeper for the Africa Cup of Nations which kicks off on Saturday in Ivory Coast.
Nigeria’s first match is against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium.
Peseiro has tested all three goalkeepers in his final 25-man squad but was reserved about his conviction after the pre-AFCON friendly game against Guinea on Monday.
“Stanley played, I can’t say for anyone who the first 11, I will decide against Equatorial Guinea,” Peseiro told NFF TV.
While Nwabali was left out of the 12-0 drubbing of a local Abu Dhabi club on Sunday, the Chippa United goalkeeper was in goal for the entire duration of the game and conceded two goals.
The two other keepers, Francis Uzoho and Olorunleke Ojo were both fielded at intervals in the training game on Tuesday.
With Nigeria’s goalkeeping problem well documented ahead of the AFCON, pressure was on Peseiro to look elsewhere for better hands than Uzoho, who has come under criticism over his performance in recent matches for Nigeria.
The Portuguese coach has however included the Cyprus-based goalkeeper in his final squad and it remains to be seen if Ojo and Nwabali are also good enough to start in his place in Ivory Coast.
Meanwhile, Peseiro also defended his team’s performance after the 2-0 loss to Guinea in their pre-AFCON friendly on Monday.
The Eagles conceded a goal in each half, while Moses Simon also missed a penalty to draw Nigeria level in the first half.
“It’s important to win but it’s not important when you try a new system. It’s better to make mistakes now than after. I’m happy about what the players have done so far. I am happy with everybody,” Peseiro told NFF TV.
“We tested a new formation 3-4-3 and we had a very good first half. Of course, we trailed 1-0 but we deserved more and even lost a penalty and two or three clear chances. The second half was more balanced between the teams, when you play against a team with good speed and attack, you lose the balance in the midfield and I changed to 4-3-3 after and they got many spaces. I changed the team, played all the players and. I’m happy with the first half, but the second was not good.”
