AFCON 2023: Super Eagles’ GK Nwabali beats Ghana’s Ofori, Egypt’s Shenawy to CAF recognition

The Chippa United shot-stopper was part of Nigeria’s history-making squad at the continental championship

The Confederation of African Football has picked Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali’s excellent stop against Cote d’Ivoire as the Save of the Day on Thursday, Soccernet.ng reports.

Three matches were played on the day, with the six goalkeepers making a combined 13 saves, as Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria claimed wins over Guinea-Bissau and Cote d’Ivoire, respectively. In contrast, Ghana and Egypt played a thrilling 2-2 draw.

Equatorial Guinea’s Jesús Owono made three stops, one more than Guinea-Bissau’s Ouparine Djoco.

Despite conceding two goals each, Egypt’s Mohamed El Shenawy and Ghana’s Richard Ofori still impressed with two and three saves, respectively.

In the enthralling clash between the West African powerhouses, Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana had no saves when his Nigerian counterpart, Nwabali, was called upon three times to prevent the ball from finding his net.

Nwabali made the first of those saves early in the encounter when a poorly executed Zaidu Sanusi header allowed Christian Kouame to smash a left-footed effort goalwards.

However, Nwabali made himself big enough for his ribs to divert the ball out for a corner.

It was a decisive moment as the Super Eagles would have gone a goal down within the opening ten minutes if that ball had nestled into the net.

Ahead of all his contemporaries, Nwabali’s excellent stop has been selected by CAF as the best save of the day.

The recognition from the competition’s organisers can help boost the confidence of Nwabali, who made only his second competitive appearance for Nigeria against the Ivorians.

Not in the conversation for Nigeria’s best goalkeepers only a few months ago, Nwabali was scouted by head coach Jose Peseiro weeks before the start of the AFCON.

The Chippa United goalie debuted for Nigeria in the 2-0 friendly loss to Guinea on the eve of the tournament.

Nwabali was in goal for Nigeria’s opening match at the AFCON – a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea – before he kept his first-ever clean sheet for the Super Eagles in the Cote d’Ivoire clash.