Stanley
Nwabali helped Nigeria keep a clean sheet against Cote d'Ivoire but Austin Jay
Jay Okocha believes he wasn't given much to do in the match.
Nigerian
legend Austin Jay Jay Okocha is not convinced
the Super Eagles have solved their goalkeeping
problems despite Stanley
Nwabali’s performance against Ivory
Coast.
Nwabali
shines for Nigeria
The
former NPFL star
helped the Super Eagles to a clean sheet and first win after a shaky start to
the 34th AFCON in that opener against Equatorial Guinea.
Nwabali’s
confidence and calmness in between the sticks proved to be the decisive coy
which Jose Peseiro’s Eagles used to build their historic
win against the Elephants.
However,
despite the goalkeeper’s brilliant contribution to the crucial win, Kolchak
noted that Nwabali did well but was not tested by the home side as Nigeria
defended well.
“Well,
I think they all played well, he played well as well,” the former PSG man said
after he was asked if the Super Eagles have finally solved their goalkeeping
problem.
“He played his role, (but) he wasn’t really
tested today because the team defended very well.”
While
Okocha’s lukewarm assessment suggests that the former Wikki Tourist's safest
hands have yet to truly convince, the 50-year-old icon was quick to add that
Nwabali showed some good signs.
“He
showed good signs of a good goalkeeper,” the former AFCON winner added.
Nigeria’s
win against Cote d’Ivoire earned the Super Eagles their first win at the AFCON
2023, moving the team up to second place in Group A, behind Equatorial Guinea,
who lead the group thanks to their superior goal difference
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