By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has allayed injury concerns after returning to action for Chippa United in their South African Premier League clash against Orlando Pirates.
Nwabali, 29, who was stretchered off midweek during a defeat to Richards Bay, featured prominently on Sunday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
He showcased sharp reflexes throughout the match, including a vital penalty save that prevented the visitors from extending their lead, signaling his readiness for both club and country.
The goalkeeper’s earlier injury had cast doubt over his availability for Nigeria’s double-header World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa—fixtures crucial to the Super Eagles’ 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. His return is a huge relief for head coach Finidi George and fans alike.
Nwabali, formerly of Enyimba, has been instrumental for Chippa United and continues to cement his reputation as one of Nigeria’s most reliable shot-stoppers abroad.
Having been named in Nigeria’s final 23-man squad last Friday, he is expected to join the Super Eagles camp in Uyo following his club commitments. His presence will be a major boost as Nigeria prepare to face Rwanda’s Amavubi and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in the coming days.
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.
