Latest News
Stanley Nwabali Hails Team Effort After First AFCON 2025 Clean Sheet in Mozambique Rout
Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has praised the collective effort of his teammates after Nigeria recorded their first clean sheet of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in a dominant 4-0 victory over Mozambique on Monday night.
The shutout was a significant milestone for Nwabali, who at the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire set a new Nigerian goalkeeping record by going 493 minutes across six matches without conceding — the longest run by a Super Eagles goalkeeper in the history of the tournament. That feat saw him surpass the previous benchmark set by legendary shot-stopper Ike Shorunmu.
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the Round of 16 encounter, Nwabali was quick to deflect individual praise, instead highlighting unity, discipline, and growth within the squad.
“First I want to say kudos to these guys, from the coach to the players,” Nwabali said. “I want to talk about me first, but I’m saying kudos to these guys. They are one family, trying to fight like this and winning with a clean sheet.”
The Chippa United goalkeeper noted that the Super Eagles have shown clear improvement as the tournament has progressed, particularly in their defensive organisation.
“I feel like there is a lot of improvement in the team,” he explained. “This is where you talk about experience in a tournament. A tournament is not something you rush — it’s something you grow into day by day.”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s journey so far, Nwabali added: “We played the first game, second game, third game and we conceded. Now we keep a clean sheet. You can see the improvement. The more clean sheets we keep, the further we can go.”
Despite Nigeria’s commanding performance, the goalkeeper downplayed his personal involvement in the match and insisted his focus remains firmly on the present.
“I don’t like talking about the next game,” he said. “I only talk about the game on the day I’m playing. Today, I’m just happy we won. Honestly, I didn’t do much today.”
Nwabali also shared a light-hearted moment, joking about enjoying the tournament atmosphere after missing out on festivities back home.
“It’s nice to be on holiday,” he smiled. “I didn’t celebrate December, and now I’m celebrating my own December here. It’s nice.”
With the quarter-finals in Marrakesh approaching, Nwabali and the Super Eagles are determined to build on their growing cohesion, defensive solidity, and tournament experience as they continue their pursuit of continental glory.
