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Stanley Nwabali Doubtful for 2025 AFCON as Ankle and Hand Injuries Raise Major Concerns

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1:39 am

Stanley Nwabali Doubtful for 2025 AFCON as Ankle and Hand Injuries Raise Major Concerns

Nigeria and Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is facing a race against time to be fit for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, with fresh injury concerns casting serious doubt over his availability for the tournament.

The 29-year-old shot-stopper has not featured for Chippa United since Nigeria’s dramatic penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers playoff final. Nwabali reportedly aggravated existing ankle and hand issues during the encounter in Morocco, complications that now require surgical intervention.

Chippa United head coach Vusimuzi Vilakazi expressed deep concern over the goalkeeper’s fitness status.

“I doubt he will be fit for AFCON. He’s confident, but the reality is he’s still injured. His ankle and hand, requiring an operation after he aggravated it in Morocco, are major issues,” Vilakazi said.

Nwabali has been a crucial figure for Nigeria since his breakout performance at the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, where he delivered several standout displays as the Super Eagles marched to the final. His calm presence, reflexes, and command of the box earned him widespread praise and cemented his position as Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper.

His potential absence for the 2025 edition would represent a significant setback for the Super Eagles, who are preparing for a challenging tournament featuring several in-form African heavyweights.

With AFCON fast approaching, national team officials, fans, and teammates will be hoping for positive updates and a swift recovery for one of Nigeria’s most reliable performers in recent years.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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