Chippa United of South Africa goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali has disclosed that he was sad to have conceded two goals for the Super Eagles against Tunisia on Saturday but admitted it is one of the realities of football.
Sports247 reports that Nwabali was first beaten by a header and then with a penalty kick, as Tunisia stormed back from 3-0 down, but eventually lost 3-2, in their second group match at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Read Also: AFCON 2025: Tunisia Gave Super Eagles Top Level Performance – Bruno Onyemachi | Sports247 Nigeria
However, the 29-year-old indigene of Egbema in Rivers State, who was born in Port Harcourt, opined that, despite conceding twice in the second half of Saturday’s game, it was a good performance by the Super Eagles.
Nwabali posited, “For me, it was a really good game. It was a good performance by our team, despite how we conceded two goals in the second half.
“I’m really proud of these guys. I’m proud of these players for giving everything to ensure we won the match. Winning this match and qualifying for the next round is a big boost for us.”
The former safe hands of Go Round FC of Omoku, Wikki Tourist of Bauchi, Enyimba of Aba, Lobi Stars of Makurdi and Katsina United then parried criticism of the Eagles’ defence, as he believes conceding goals is always expected in a major tournament.
Nwabali, though, admitted that the Eagles will have to be on their toes in the next round of the continental football showpiece, as he noted that the round leather game has reached a very advanced level in Africa and defeating any opponent will never come easy
He acknowledged, “Going to the round of 16 is a very big boost for us, and we have to try not to concede more goals, as we did at the last AFCON.
“All the same, we know that, in a big tournament like this, you cannot avoid conceding goals. Even the best teams in the world concede goals.
“So, I don’t see anything wrong with our defence. It’s just something we have to keep working on and try to get better. You just have to keep going, because football has improved a lot.
“It’s not something for which you’ll just cone out of your home, and you step on the pitch to play. We really don’t want to concede goals, but it’s not that easy.
“We really wish to keep clean sheets, and it pains me a lot when I concede goals, but we just have to keep on going as a team.”
