'All the players want him to play' - Peseiro gives update on Nwabali after GK is carried off on a stretcher

Nigeria are sweating over the fitness of Stanley Nwabali ahead of their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal showdown against Angola on Friday at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan.

In what turned out to be their easiest game so far at the 2023 AFCON, the Super Eagles got the job done thanks to a brace from Ademola Lookman, 

Chippa United goalkeeper Nwabali was stretchered off the pitch with around ten minutes of regulation time left after coming off worse in a collision with Cameroon number 10 Georges-Kevin N'Koudou .

Manager Jose Peseiro had no choice but to bring on Francis Uzoho for his first appearance at the ongoing tournament in Ivory Coast and the Omonia Nicosia man helped Nigeria to keep the clean sheet intact. 

Speaking at the post-match press conference, the Portuguese revealed that the extent of the injury sustained by Nwabali has not been ascertained and added that the Super Eagles players want him back on the pitch as soon as possible. 

Peseiro told reporters: "I'm not sure in this moment. It's impossible to immediately evaluate the situation, need 24-48 hours to know what happened.

"He thinks he can recover for the next match but if he cannot you need to play 11 players with a goalkeeper.

"I believe in all my players but I would like he recovers, all the players want him to play."

Unheralded before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations, Nwabali has been one of the standout players for a Nigerian side that has been defensively solid. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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