Nigeria’s national team is preparing to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the fourth time in its history. After a real penalty thriller on Wednesday evening, the surprise team from South Africa was defeated 4-2 iE and a place in the final was made clear. The celebrated hero was Nigeria’s goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who then also established a connection with Manuel Neuer from FC Bayern.
Nigeria has already won Africa’s largest continental competition three times. In 1980, 1994 and 2013, the “Super Eagles” were crowned the best team in Africa and are now dreaming of their fourth title. The opponent in the final will be Ivory Coast next Sunday (from 9:00 p.m.) in Abidjan.
In the decisive penalty shootout on Wednesday evening at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, goalkeeper Nwabali became a celebrated man after he parried two shots. The South Africans Tebeho Mokoena and Evidence Makgopa failed because of the 27-year-old.
FC Bayern: Neuer as a special inspiration for Nigeria’s keeper
In the rush of victory, the Nigerian goalkeeper revealed that FC Bayern’s Manuel Neuer plays a very special role in his footballing life.
“I like to look at my role model, I like to look at Manuel Neuer before my game. Even days before games, even in the locker room. I always look at him,” Nwabali was quoted as saying on social media.
The four-time world goalkeeper Neuer is a very special inspiration for Nigeria’s match winner, who is himself under contract with the Chippa United club in South Africa.
After a strange VAR decision shortly before the end of regular time, Nigeria had to wait until the penalty shootout on Wednesday evening, but prevailed thanks to the goalkeeper’s saves. After 120 minutes the score was 1:1 (1:1, 0:0).
Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho scored the winning penalty for the Nigerians at Bouake’s Stade de la Paix.