The spotlight is now on first-choice keeper Stanley Nwabali after his glaring howler in the World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, prompting a warning from veteran goalkeeper Dele Aiyenugba.
Speaking exclusively to Persecondnews in Abuja, Aiyenugba, 41, stressed that Nwabali must immediately ‘tighten his mindset’ before the high-stakes November playoff semifinal against Gabon.
Aiyenugba conceded that, given the error, Nigerians are “right to question” Nwabali’s composure under pressure.
“They watch the game also, and they are right—he needs to calm down, be cool‑headed, and be extremely careful with his attitude on the pitch,” he said.
He added that the coaching staff should keep Nwabali on his toes and foster healthy competition among the squad’s goalkeepers, recalling how he, Vincent Enyeama and Ejike once pushed each other to the limit.
“We don’t need to look for another number 1, the coaches just need to put him on his toes, healthy competition between the invited goalkeepers in the team will also be a key for him to get better. During my time in the Super Eagles, Ejike and me, pushed Vincent to the limit.”
Nwabali, who captains Chippa United in the South African Premier League, has struggled this season with the relegation‑threatened side, conceding 17 goals in 10 matches while keeping only two clean sheets.
Despite Super Eagles shaky qualifying campaign, Aiyenugba believes the Super Eagles still have a fighting chance at World Cup qualification if the team unites.
“We can still qualify for the World Cup if the players believe in themselves and work as a team,” he said, singling out Victor Osimhen as a decisive factor and predicting the striker will again be in contention for African Player of the Year.
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