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Who’s No.1?

By Daily Sports Nigeria on February 6, 2024

Nwabali, Williams battle for AFCON best keeper

Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali and Ronwen Williams of South Africa are heads and shoulders over the other goalkeepers at the 2023 AFCON with fantastic saves game after game at the continental showpiece event.

Both share same number of clean sheets — four — after five games and are in line for the competition’s Golden Glove award, which was last won by Senegal goalie Edouard Mendy at the 2021 edition in Cameroon.

Mendy kept five clean sheets at the last edition, helping the Teranga Lions lift the AFCON title for the first time in their history, after defeating Egypt on penalties in the final.

Interestingly, Nwabali and Williams play in South Africa’s topflight division — the Premier Soccer League. Williams plays for Mamelodi Sundowns, and Nwabali plies his trade for Chippa United.

To add, Bafana will meet the Eagles in the semi-finals of the competition on Wednesday at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.

While Bafana captain Williams has played all five matches for the 1996 African champions, the 32-year-old has conceded two goals (against Mali) and has kept four clean sheets to match Andre Arendse’s (his predecessor) record for the most number of clean sheets (four) in a single AFCON championship.

Also, Williams made history in the quarter-finals when he became the first ever goalkeeper to make four penalty saves at a major tournament, according to OPTA.

Like Williams, Nwabali has also made five appearances for three-time AFCON winners Nigeria and has exceeded expectations in his debut campaign for Jose Peseiro’s side.

The shot-stopper has only let in only one goal in five games — in their opener against Equatorial Guinea, as Nigeria came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw.

He also won the tournament’s Save of The Day award after Nigeria edged Ivory Coast 1-0 in their second Group A game.

Nwabali also became the third Nigerian goalkeeper to keep four consecutive clean sheets at the AFCON after Best Ogedegbe and Ike Shorunmu.

The former Enyimba shot stopper can’t wait to square off against Bafana Bafana.

”I know them and they know me,’he said. It will be an interesting evening in Bouake,” Nwabali said.

Meanwhile, Chippa’s goalkeeper trainer, Sean Louw, has refused to take credit for the heroics of Nwabali at the AFCON stating that the Nigerian goalkeeper has been outstanding because of his individual dedication and hard work.

Louw told The Sowetan, “For Stanley (Nwabali), I think the turning point was when Nigeria coach (Jose Peseiro) visited us in December and he watched us training and went to one of our games, so I think that’s where Stanley impressed him.

“As a club, we feel honoured to have had two keepers at AFCON but it’s not really about me because I am not the one playing on the field.”

The other Chippa United goalkeeper at the AFCON in Ivory Coast is Namibia’s Llyod Kazapua, 34, who started his country’s four games, keeping two clean sheets with seven goals conceded and Louw is delighted with their performances.

“Nwabali worked very hard to achieve this and credit must be given to them for their commitment. The game belongs to the players.”

“If Nigeria wins this AFCON with Stanley (Nwabali), on paper that would be my career highlight, but in my heart, there are bigger moments like giving young boys professional debuts that matter the most,” Louw noted.

Former Eagles captain, Mikel Obi, has also been impressed by the performances of Nwabali at the AFCON.

Before the start of the tournament, the Eagles were facing a goalkeeping crisis but all looks to be in the past after Peseiro brought on Nwabali over the much-maligned Francis Uzoho.

“When you look through the whole team everybody has been superb, starting from the goalkeeper, which is something I talked about before the tournament. I said one position we need to make sure we sort out is the goalkeeping position and we’ve managed to do that,” Mikel said on The Obi One Podcast.

“He’s based in Africa and he’s managed to become the talk of the tournament, he’s become one of the favourites for the Nigerian fans. He’s put in very good performances.

“Before we scored the goal against Angola, there was a massive save that he made. If the ball went in, it would have been a different ball game.”

Source Punch Ng

Posted February 6, 2024

Nwabali, Williams battle for AFCON best keeper