Nigeria have been dealt a blow ahead of next month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali facing a race against time to be fit, Afrosport reports.
The 29-year-old, who was named in head coach Eric Chelle’s provisional 31-man squad last week, sustained an injury while on club duty in South Africa and is now doubtful for the fixtures against Rwanda and South Africa.
Nwabali was forced off in the 35th minute of Chippa United’s 1-0 defeat to Richards Bay in the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles shot-stopper was stretchered off at the Princess Magogo Stadium and replaced by Elson Sithole, with the extent of the injury yet to be confirmed.
Should he be ruled out, Chelle can call on Adebayo Adeleye, Amas Obasogie, or 15-year-old Ebenezer Harcourt, who were all included in the provisional squad.
The Super Eagles face Rwanda’s Amavubi on Saturday, 6 September at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, before travelling to Bloemfontein to play South Africa three days later at the Toyota Stadium.
