Sports
Super Eagles goalkeeper, Nwabali faces late fitness test ahead of Angola clash
The Palancas Negras secured a 1-1 draw in their first group match with Algeria, with victories in the 2nd and 3rd matches, a 3-2 win over Mauritania, and a 2-0 victory against Burkina Faso.
The coach of the Super Eagles, Jose Peseiro, has confirmed that goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali will be facing a late fitness test ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinal match against Palancas Negras of Angola on Friday, Feb. 2.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Peseiro told journalists on Thursday in Abidjan at a news conference that a decision would be made later today.
He said that if Nwabali fails to make it, he will play Francis Uzoho instead.
The Portuguese tactician said he has confidence in playing any of the goalkeepers in camp because he trusts all of them.
He, however, explained that the only match they will be in with a 50/50 chance is the quarterfinal clash with the Palancas Negras of Angola.
Peseiro said that his team is ready for the task ahead to go beyond the quarterfinals of the competition.
“It is going to be a tough match; our team will be playing with maximum concentration, good determination, and organisation.
“We are playing a good team, not a big name,” Peseiro said.
NAN recalls that the Super Eagles played out a 1-1 draw in their first game against Equatorial Guinea, dispatched host, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, 2-0 in their second game, and won 1-0 over Guinea-Bissau in their last group B match.
The three-time African champions, defeated the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 2-0 in the round of 16 to set a date with the Palacas Negras of Angola in the quarterfinal.
Angola are one of the highest-scoring teams in the 2023 AFCON, with nine goals.
The Palancas Negras secured a 1-1 draw in their first group match with Algeria, with victories in the 2nd and 3rd matches, a 3-2 win over Mauritania, and a 2-0 victory against Burkina Faso.
They thrashed Namibia 3-0 in the round of 16 to set up a clash with Nigeria.
Fayose’s Thank You Message To Obasanjo: Uncouth, Unthinking And UnAfrican -By Isaac Asabor
Obasanjo, for his part, responded with a pointed but dignified jab, thanking Fayose for revealing his true nature and promptly...
Why Nigeria Must Act Now or Face the Consequences: The Wake-Up Call of the U.S. Religious Freedom Accountability Bill 2025 -By James Ezema
And to the Nigerian people—Christians, Muslims, and traditionalists alike—this moment demands unity, not division. Petition your lawmakers, demand justice, and...
Africa’s Mining Industry: New Opportunities for Cooperation with Russia and China -By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
The Chinese delegation played a significant role in the event. Participants included Sun Yongjun, First Secretary of the Embassy of...
The Yerima Effect: How A Naval Officer’s Stillness Destroyed Wike’s Political Weapons, Collapsed His Judicial Shield, And Taught A Young Democracy To Stop Fearing Strong Men -By Prof. John Egbeazien Oshodi
The Ministry of Defence publicly defended the officer, not Wike. They stated clearly that Yerima acted within lawful authority. That...
Aso Rock and Kitoye Ajasa’s Lickspittle Press -By Festus Adedayo
To demonstrate their opprobrium for Ajasa’s leaflet, the Nigerian Pioneer newspaper, the people scoffed at it on the newsstand. To Ajasa’s contemporaries, his...