Nigeria’s new number one, Stanley Nwabali may still be available for selection for the quarter-final duel with Palancas Negras of Angola if he passes a late fitness test set for Wednesday.
According to team medics, the 27-year-old copped a mild ligament injury during the Round of 16 battle with the Indomitable Lions on Saturday, and the doctors have been working on him to see if he will come good in a late fitness test 48 hours before the cracker with the southern Africans.
“Fingers crossed. If all goes well, he might be available for selection.”
Nwabali was stretched off the pitch during Nigeria’s AFCON knockout stage clash with Cameroon at the Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny in Abidjan.
This was after the Chippa United goalkeeper and Cameroon’s Georges-Kevin N’Koudou collided in the box in the 72nd minute.
Nwabali continued after initial treatment for about eight minutes before the technical team substituted him for Francis Uzoho in the 80th minute.
The Injured Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali could not train with the rest of the Nigeria national team on Monday as the team kicked off their preparations for Friday’s AFCON 2023 quarterfinal clash against Angola.
Though Nwabali didn’t take part in the collective sessions, he was seen taking light walks across the pitch, he looked positive as he made playful remarks to journalists present at Monday’s training session.
The Chippa United goal-tender has won the hearts of Nigerians with his self-assured posture between the sticks and his penchant for launching onslaughts with long kicks that have been unsettling the opposition at this tournament.
