Injured Super Eagles new number one, Stanley Nwabali, may return to the starting 11 against Angola in the quarterfinal if he passes a late fitness test on Wednesday.
According to the team media officer, Babafemi Raji, “the medics are really working hard on him.
“The team medics disclosed that the 27-year-old copped a mild ligament injury during the Round of 16 battle with the Indomitable Lions on Saturday, but they “have been working on him to see if he will come good in a late fitness test.”
Raji said: “Yes, he had a test or scan yesterday, and we are waiting for the result of the scan.
“I think he’s done well so far, so good with trying to recover from the injury, and the medics are really working hard on him.
“I don’t think it’s anything too serious that will rule him out of the tournament.“But we just have to wait until we hear the result of the scan.”
Ahead of the clash with Angola, he said the team is in high spirits, training is competitive, and “they are taking it one game at a time”.
“The boys are ready, as you can see. It’s about mental strength. Mentally, they are strong, and we are just taking it one game at a time,” he said.
The team’s coach, Jose Peseiro, said the Angolan team are a very formidable side and acknowledged their brilliant style of play as a key factor in their going unbeaten in the group stage.
He made it known that his “team is very good at the moment. We will do our very best as my players continue to work well in training, just like they have done today.
“The unused players trained very well, while the other regular players on the squad recovered, which is very necessary.”
Persecondnews recalls that Nwabali sustained a knee injury in Nigeria’s AFCON Round of 16 victory against Cameroon on Saturday.
The Chippa United star collided with Cameroon winger Georges Nkoudou during the encounter.
His Super Eagles teammate, Francis Uzoho, took his place 10 minutes from the time he was stretchered off the pitch.
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