Chippa United goalkeeper,Stanley Nwabili’s shock selection to Nigeria’s Super Eagles Afcon squad has been explained. The DStv Premiership shot-stopper has found himself at the Afcon finals in Ivory in an expected manner.
That the rising DStv Premiership goal-minder would earn the Super Eagles’ selection was unthinkable months ago. After all, the preference for the Super Eagles’ number one jersey was previously on DStv Premiership hot keeper Daniel Akpeyi. The 37-year-old then used to play for Kaizer Chiefs.
How DStv Premiership keeper found his way to Afcon
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The Moroka Swallows man was the Super Eagles’ main keeper at the 2021 Afcon edition. However, months of inactivity after exiting from the Chiefs cost Akpeyi a place in Nigeria’s squad. In the absence of the DStv Premiership star Akpeyi, Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro tinkered with the first-choice position. The Portuguese coach rotated the position among Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho and Adebayo Adeley. The selection dilemma prompted Peseiro to travel to Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium last month. The coach witnessed Chippa’s number one playing against Golden Arrows.
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What the DStv Premiership coach told Super Eagles mentor
It has now emerged that a conversation Peseiro had with Chippa coach Morgan Mammila played a part in Nwabili’s selection to the Super Eagles squad. The towering Nwabili sneaked into Peseiro’s final 25-member Afcon squad. Nigeria named their final squad a few days ago.
Nigeria’s Soccernet.ng reports that Mammila gave a good word to Peseiro for the keeper after the DStv Premiership game. The imposing custodian has kept 14 clean sheets at the club level. Soccernet.ng quoted Peseiro as having confirmed to the Nigeria Football Federation’s NFF TV that he spoke to the Chippa coach before selecting the keeper. Mammila shared a video of himself dancing with Peseiro via his X.com account @MMammila in what looked like the Chilli Boys’ dressing room. The Portuguese also took time to pose with Nwabili and Mammila on the pitch after the game.
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Chippa United game that booked Nwabili a Super Eagles slot
Peseiro has since told NFF TV how the trip to Mzansi swayed his decision to pick the 27-year-old keeper for the Super Eagles. “I asked the NFF President to let me go there. So, I was there in South Africa for four days to speak with him. I spoke to the coach and a lot of people. I watched the training and I watched one match. In the final list, we decided to add him to the list after the whole evaluation,” Peseiro told Soccernet.ng.
The Portuguese mentor said he consulted Mammila on Nwabili’s choice after the DStv Premiership meeting. He added: “There were not many videos of the South African league available for us. But some friends sent us videos of Nwabili’s matches in the South African league. We believe in him because he showed good quality, good performance, and good capacities. Now I hope he displays the same quality he shows at his club.”
What next now for Chippa United’s Nwabili in Ivory Coast?
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Now, it is up to Nwabili to further impress the Super Eagles handler at Afcon which gets underway on January 14, 2024. The Super Eagles are among the pre-tournament favourites to win the Afcon title. The Super Eagles are in the same group as Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau. Nigeria kick off their Afcon campaign against Equatorial Guinea on January 14, 2024.
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