“This is Football” – Stanley Nwabali set for Chippa United return despite South African threats

Jose Peseiro included Stanley Nwabali in his 25-man AFCON 2023 squadlist and the goalkeeper kept four clean sheets in seven outings in Ivory Coast.

Super Eagles and Chippa United goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, is unwavering despite threats being thrown at him after he helped Nigeria to a win over South Africa in the AFCON 2023 semi-final, Soccernet.ng reports.

Nwabali, 27, was one of Nigeria's best players in Ivory Coast, with his highlight of the tournament coming against Ronwen Hayden William's South Africa where he saved two spot kicks in the penalty shoot-out.

The former Lobi Stars goalkeeper plies his trade with Chippa United in the DsTV Premiership in South Africa and got threats after he helped his country win over the nation where his club resides.

He, however, is unfazed by the threats, maintaining that it's just an outburst of emotions and shouldn't be taken to heart.

“I must go back to my club, but talking about the threats, this is football. You can’t threaten someone because they also won some other teams too. How about if those they beat decided to keep threatening your players, would it make sense?, it’s football, I don’t think there’s anything attached to it. Maybe it was just someone writing on social media,” Nwabali said in quotes revealed by BluePrint.

The chairman of Chippa United, ahead of Nigeria's clash against Bafana Bafana, pitched his tent with the Super Eagles and supported Nwabali. After the threats, the chairman reached out to the goalkeeper and reassured him.

“It’s cool to me because I spoke to my chairman three days ago, but he didn’t say anything like all that stuff. So, he felt like ‘No, it’s cool, you can come back. I must go back to my club because they owe me,” he added.

The stellar performance of Nwabali has seen him linked with several European clubs, with Victor Boniface's former club, Union Saint-Gilloise leading the chase.