IN the last few years, Nigeria’s goalkeeping crisis has been well documented and Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has brought on South Africa-based shot-stopper, Stanley Nwabali, as the Portuguese aims to solve the problematic area of his squad.
Chippa United safe hands Nwabali was a surprise inclusion in the Eagles 25-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, which begins January 13.
Since the forced retirement of Carl Ikeme in 2018 after being diagnosed with leukaemia, several goalkeepers have been tested with none possessing the same quality as the former Wolves goalkeeper.
Francis Uzoho’s howlers against Saudi Arabia — including turning a harmless free-kick into his own net — and Mozambique in friendlies in Portugal last October were the latest in a string of poor performances by the Nigerian No.1, raising concerns among football-crazy Nigerians as the team bid to win the continent’s football showpiece event for the fourth time.
During a friendly game in Portugal, Uzoho turned a harmless free-kick into his own net to hand the Green Falcons the lead as Wilfred Ndidi watched his goalkeeper with despair.
It was not the first time the Eagles were hard done by goalkeeping howlers in recent times. Many blamed the Cyprus-based goalie for his poor timing for Thomas Partey’s opening goal for Ghana in Abuja last match as the Eagles were bundled out of the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup on the away-goal rule.
The result meant the Eagles failed to qualify for a World Cup tournament for the first time in 12 years.
Maduka Okoye, who reportedly opted out of the squad to Ivory Coast, also came under scathing criticisms for the Tunisian goal that knocked the Eagles out of the AFCON at the last-16 stage in Cameroon in 2022.
In close to two years since Peseiro took over as the Eagles coach, he has tried out three different keepers as he continues to search for a solution to the crisis.
The former Lobi Stars keeper, who had already been capped by the home-based Eagles, has been in great form for Chippa United, keeping seven clean sheets in 15 games and conceding 14 goals.
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.
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?
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.
“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.”
It remains to be seen if the 6ft5in keeper will be able to displace Uzoho, whose inclusion in the AFCON squad has been heavily criticised.