Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has said he felt relaxed and refreshed during Nigeria’s 4 0 victory over Mozambique at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, describing the match as part of his holiday period.
The South Africa based goalkeeper praised the team’s collective effort after recording his first clean sheet of the tournament in the emphatic win on Monday night.
Nigeria cruised past Mozambique with a dominant performance, maintaining defensive discipline throughout the encounter.
Reflecting on his achievements, Nwabali recalled his record breaking performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, where he set a new benchmark for Nigerian goalkeepers by going 493 minutes without conceding a goal across six matches. The feat surpassed the previous record held by former Super Eagles goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu, who represented Nigeria in two separate AFCON tournaments.
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the match, Nwabali highlighted the unity, growth and discipline within the team, particularly in maintaining a clean sheet.
While reflecting on the victory, he downplayed his individual contribution and credited the overall team effort.
“I’m only happy today because we won, and I think I just want to go and rest. You can see I didn’t do much today,” he said.
“It’s nice to be on holiday. You know, I didn’t celebrate December before, but now I’m celebrating my own December here. It’s nice.”
Nigeria will face Algeria in the quarter finals in Marrakesh on Saturday, and Nwabali stressed the need for the team to remain focused and disciplined as the tournament progresses.
