WATCH: Stanley Nwabali saves penalty on injury return as Nigeria receive huge World Cup boost

Stanley Nwabali has handed Nigeria a timely lift ahead of the Super Eagles' World Cup qualifiers after returning from injury with a penalty save for Chippa United, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 29-year-old goalkeeper had sparked panic last week when he was stretchered off during Chippa’s 1-0 defeat to Richards Bay, raising doubts about his fitness for the Super Eagles’ September qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.

But medical checks showed no serious damage, and Nwabali trained fully before starting in Sunday’s league clash against Orlando Pirates.

Although Chippa were outclassed in a 3-0 defeat at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the Nigerian international delivered a strong individual display.

The former Enyimba FC goalie made several key interventions, including a brave smother to prevent a defensive lapse, sharp saves from Patrick Maswanganyi and Thalente Mbatha, and a confident punched clearance in the opening stages.

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Nwabali’s standout moment came five minutes into the second half when he dived low to his right to save Maswanganyi’s penalty, keeping the scoreline respectable.

Stanley Nwabali returned to action for Chippa United after an injury scare.

He capped it with a penalty save against Orlando Pirates pic.twitter.com/xcFYUxnf8b

— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) August 31, 2025

The performance confirmed his recovery and justified Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle’s decision to keep him in Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the upcoming qualifiers.

With Nwabali between the posts, Chelle can count on the same presence that helped Nigeria reach the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final earlier this year.

Chippa’s struggles, however, continue. The defeat leaves them bottom of the South African Premiership with just a single point from five matches, while Pirates climb into the top five.

For Nigeria, attention now shifts to World Cup qualification. The Super Eagles face Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo before travelling to Bloemfontein to meet long-time rivals South Africa.

Both fixtures are seen as pivotal, with Nigeria needing maximum points to strengthen their path to the 2026 finals.