In-form Super Eagles goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, has the opportunity to surpass the records held by former Nigerian shotstoppers, Best Ogedengbe and Ike Shorunmu, in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final clash against South Africa.
Nwabali has equaled Ogedengbe and Shorunmu’s record after keeping a clean sheet in Nigeria’s 1-0 quarter-finals win over Angola.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper has become the third Eagles goalkeeper to keep four consecutive clean sheets in a major tournament, surpassing Alloy Agu’s three-game record in 1990.
Ogedengbe was the first shot stopper to achieve this feat in 1980 when Nigeria won their first continental title.
He kept two consecutive clean sheets against Ivory Coast and Egypt in the group stage, conceding only once in their 3-1 win over Tanzania in the opening game.
Ogedengbe then kept another clean sheet against Morocco in the semi-finals, followed by a 3-0 victory over Algeria in the final.
Shorunmu replicated this accomplishment in 2002, also 22 years later, at the AFCON in Mali where Nigeria won a bronze medal.
He started the competition in impressive form, keeping clean sheets in the first four games against Algeria, Mali, Liberia, and Ghana.
However, he conceded his first goals in the semi-finals against Senegal, which ended 2-1 after extra time. Shorunmu was then benched in the third-placed match against Mali, which Nigeria won 1-0.
Nwabali, like Ogedengbe, conceded a goal in the opening game against Equatorial Guinea but has not been beaten since then.
He has kept clean sheets against Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon, and Angola.
The Chippa United goalkeeper will be aiming to break the record outright when the Eagles face the winners of the South Africa vs. Cape Verde match in the semi-finals today.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
