AFCON 2025: Stanley Nwabali Downplays Concerns Over Super Eagles’ Defensive Lapses

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Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has dismissed concerns about Nigeria’s defensive record at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025, insisting that there is no cause for alarm within the camp.

Nigeria have conceded three goals in their opening two Group C matches but have balanced that with a potent attack, scoring five goals to secure maximum points.

The Super Eagles kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 win over Tanzania, followed by a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Tunisia on Saturday. These results confirmed Nigeria’s qualification to the Round of 16, though questions about defensive stability surfaced after Tunisia staged a late comeback.

Goals from Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman had put Nigeria 3-0 ahead, but Tunisia responded through Montassar Talbi and Ali Abdi, with captain Ferjani Sassi narrowly missing an equaliser in stoppage time.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Nwabali downplayed worries about defensive fragility:

“Tournaments like this, you are bound to concede goals. Even the best teams in the world concede goals. I don’t see any problem in the defence. At the last AFCON, we kept clean sheets in our first two games, but things have improved overall. We also want to keep clean sheets and it pains me when I concede, but we keep going as a team. We scored from set pieces and they also scored from a set piece. That is probably one of their strengths. Sometimes you can’t correct everything, but we try to deal with it.”

At 29 years old, Nwabali has emerged as Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper since breaking into the Super Eagles setup ahead of the 2023 tournament in Ivory Coast, surpassing Francis Uzoho and Ojo Olorunleke for the starting role.

He emphasized that competition within the squad remains friendly and professional:

“My first AFCON was with Francis, and I knew Amas before I left Nigeria. These guys are amazing and they are like my family. We cover one another. There are no bad thoughts or bad energy.”

The Super Eagles, already through to the knockout stage, will close their Group C campaign against Uganda at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30.