Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali has won the Man of the Match award after saving two penalties to send Nigeria into the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Nwabali has been excellent in the AFCON so far with only two goals conceded as he remains arguably Nigeria’s best player in the tournament thus far.
The Chippa United goalkeeper has won the heart of millions of Nigerians with his impressive outing in the tournament.
Before the clash against South Africa, Nwabali had expressed his interest to face South Africa in the semi-finals.
According to Nwabali, who plays in the South African Premier League, he’s familiar with South African players and would want to “test his defence” against them.
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“Both Cape Verde and South Africa are good teams, but I want to play against South Africa,” Nwabali told reporters.
“I really wish to see how my defence will fare against them.
“Yes, most of their players know me, and I also know them.”
Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho scored to give Nigeria a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over South Africa on Wednesday after an Africa Cup of Nations semi-final thriller in Bouake.
The match finished 1-1 after extra time and the three-time champions will face hosts Ivory Coast or the Democratic Republic of Congo, who meet later, in the final on Sunday.
Both regular-time goals also came from penalties with captain William Troost-Ekong scoring after 67 minutes for Nigeria and Teboho Mokoena equalised from a 90th-minute spot-kick.
The Mokoena equaliser came after Nigeria thought they had scored a second goal through a tap-in from star forward Victor Osimhen.
But the play was called back to the other end of the field after VAR alerted the Egyptian referee that South African Percy Tau had been fouled in the area, and the match official concurred.
Khuliso Mudau had a chance to win South Africa in added time at the end of regular time but blazed over after goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali parried a Mokoena free kick.
South Africa finished with 10 men when Grant Kekana was sent off on 115 minutes for a last-defender foul.