Nigeria’s senior men’s national team head coach Eric Chelle has cast doubt over the availability of Stanley Nwabali and Frank Onyeka ahead of Super Eagles’ final Group C match against Uganda at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Monday, Chelle revealed that both players are currently battling fitness issues and may be sidelined for Tuesday’s encounter.
According to the Nigerian tactician, first-choice goalkeeper Nwabali is dealing with a knee problem, while midfield enforcer Onyeka has picked up a slight ankle injury. Chelle stressed that the Super Eagles’ medical team will continue to assess the duo before a final decision is taken.
“Nwabali has a knee issue and Onyeka has a slight ankle problem. We will assess them to know the extent of the injuries before the game,” Chelle said.
Nigeria have already secured qualification for the Round of 16, but remain keen to finish the group stage strongly and maintain top spot. However, the possible absence of two key players could force Chelle into making adjustments to his starting XI.
A final call on the availability of Nwabali and Onyeka is expected to be made following further medical evaluations ahead of Tuesday’s match against the Cranes.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
