Highlights: Stanley Nwabali, the unexpected hero of Nigeria, has come a long way. The Super Eagles goalkeeper was the unlikely hero of the Nigeria-South Africa semi-final by stopping two shots on goal. He eclipsed his counterpart Babafa Bafana, author of four saves in the quarter-final against Cape Verde, four days earlier. A great performance which earned him the title of man of the match, and a first recognition of his talent. “It’s a story that I will tell my children,” he says, happily.

Nigeria's goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, was the man behind the Super Eagles' qualification against Bafana Bafana by stopping two South African shots on goal. A performance that sheds more light…

CAN 2024: Stanley Nwabali, the unexpected hero of Nigeria, has come a long way

Nigeria's goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, was the man behind the Super Eagles' qualification against Bafana Bafana by stopping two South African shots on goal. A performance which sheds more light on this player brought out of the shadows by the CAN.

Stanley Nwabali with his man of the match trophy after his performance in the Nigeria-South Africa semi-final. AFP - ISSOUF SANOGO

By: Ndiasse Sambe Follow

From our special correspondent in Bouaké,

In a team which has counted, since the start of the competition, on its striker Victor Osimhen, its midfielder Ademola Lookman, and its defender Williams Ernest-Ekong, Stanley Nwabali revealed himself on Wednesday as the fourth wheel of the

Nigerian coach

. The Super Eagles goalkeeper was the unlikely hero of the

Nigeria-South Africa semi-final

by stopping two shots on goal, eclipsing his counterpart Babafa Bafana, author of four saves in the quarter-final against Cape Verde, four days earlier.

A great performance which earned him the title of man of the match, and a first recognition of his talent in the world of African football. Because Stanley Nwabali was almost unknown before

this CAN

. The Nigerian goalkeeper, not a complete starter in his club Chippa United, 13th in the South African championship, was not the most expected in this African Cup on the Nigerian side.

“This guy has a lot of qualities…”

Today, it is the coach of the Super Eagles who can congratulate himself on having had the right flair in discovering this 196 cm tall man who began his career at Go Round FC in Lagos. "

It's my job ! I had some information from the federation about this goalkeeper

, says José Peseiro

. It wasn't easy to get one. We didn't have any videos, no scouts... I told my partner that I wanted to go see him in South Africa. I saw him in training, we met, I said to myself: 'this guy has a lot of qualities, he can be our goalkeeper'. He came to the selection, established himself. And he became our number 1

. »

Read alsoCAN 2024: The calendar and all the results

The hero of the day, who managed to eclipse his striker Victor Osimhen for once, had difficulty measuring the scope of his performance seen as a bonus on many televisions around the world. “

It’s a story that I will tell my children

,” he says, happily.

It's something I didn't imagine, I didn't believe it would happen to me. Now I play for the Super Eagles and I am in the CAN final. I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything like it, something that fulfills me so much

.”

Stanley Nwabali will have difficulty going that high, unless he pulls out all the stops once again in the final against Ivory Coast this Sunday, February 11 at 8 p.m. UT in Abidjan.

CAN 2024: Stanley Nwabali, the unexpected hero of Nigeria, has come a long way

CAN 2024: Stanley Nwabali, the unexpected hero of Nigeria, has come a long way

“This guy has a lot of qualities…”

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