Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has come under heavy criticism from Nigerian football fans following Nigeria’s 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday.
Nigeria suffered their first defeat of the qualifying campaign at the Estádio 24 de Setembro in Bissau, with Franculino Dju, Mama Baldé and Álvaro Djaló scoring for the hosts.
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Nwabali, who started in goal for Eric Chelle’s side, became one of the major talking points after the match, particularly because of his reaction to Guinea-Bissau’s goals.
Franculino opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a curling effort after cutting inside from the right. Some observers questioned whether Nwabali could have done more to keep the effort out. Mama Baldé then doubled the hosts’ advantage after the hour mark, while Djaló completed the 3-0 victory in stoppage time.
The criticism quickly spread across social media, with several Nigerian fans questioning the goalkeeper’s performance.
In posts seen on X, users criticised Nwabali and questioned his failure to make what they considered sufficient attempts to save the goals. Another post from an X user specifically questioned Nwabali’s positioning during the third goal.
The reaction was also reflected in post-match assessments. Afrik-Foot gave Nwabali a 5/10 rating, noting that he was exposed by the defence for the first two goals but also arguing that he could have provided more authority in goal.
Pulse Sports was more critical, giving the goalkeeper a 2/10 rating and reporting that fans accused him of being “a liability” following the defeat.
However, Nwabali was not solely responsible for the defeat, as Nigeria struggled collectively and conceded three goals after an overall poor defensive display.
The defeat leaves the Super Eagles with plenty to address as they continue their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign, while the debate over Nigeria’s goalkeeping position is likely to continue ahead of their next fixture.
