Why Chippa United’s Nwabali is winning Super Eagles race over Okoye ahead of AFCON qualifiers

Chippa United and Nigeria international goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali could hardly have asked for a better start to the new season, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Super Eagles shot-stopper continues his push to reclaim Nigeria’s number-one gloves ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Chippa United goalie produced a brilliant Man of the Match display in his first competitive appearance of the 2026-27 Betway Premiership season on Saturday, August 1. Nwabali made six important saves to help Chippa United earn a goalless draw away to Lamontville Golden Arrows, giving his side a valuable point to begin the campaign.

The 90-minute performance was his first official match since returning to the club after taking a five-month break to deal with the emotional pain of losing close family members. His display showed that he has quickly returned to top form at exactly the right time, with Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle expected to name his squad for September’s AFCON qualifiers in the coming weeks.

Nwabali: Six saves and another clean sheet send a strong message

Nwabali was the busiest goalkeeper on the pitch against Golden Arrows but stood firm whenever Chippa United needed him.

He denied dangerous efforts in the 33rd and 42nd minutes before producing a remarkable spell of saves early in the second half. Within just a few minutes, he stopped shots in the 58th, 59th and 60th minutes as Golden Arrows searched desperately for an opening goal.

Even in stoppage time, Nwabali refused to be beaten, making another crucial save deep into added time to preserve the clean sheet. His heroics earned him the Man of the Match award and showed again why he remains one of the most reliable goalkeepers in African football.

The performance also extended his perfect record since returning to Chippa United. He first kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 preseason victory over Ravens FC before emerging as the hero in a penalty shootout win over Highbury FC to lead Chippa United to lift a preseason title.

Three excellent displays and two clean sheets have restored confidence in both the goalkeeper and his defenders. More importantly, they have shown that the 30-year-old has quickly regained his sharpness after several months away from competitive football.

Okoye injury gives Nwabali another advantage

While Nwabali is enjoying regular football again, his biggest rival for the Super Eagles gloves is facing an unfortunate setback.

Maduka Okoye is currently recovering from a shoulder injury suffered during Udinese’s preseason preparations in Italy. The injury is expected to keep the goalkeeper out of the opening weeks of the new Serie A season, leaving him without valuable match practice before Nigeria’s September internationals.

Udinese have already brought in Norwegian goalkeeper Egil Selvik as temporary cover while Okoye works towards full fitness.

The contrast between the two Nigerian goalkeepers is now clear. Nwabali is fully fit, playing every week and producing match-winning performances, while Okoye is focused on rehabilitation instead of competitive football. That difference could play a major role when Eric Chelle decides who should start Nigeria’s opening AFCON qualifying matches.

AFCON experience could prove decisive for Chelle

Nwabali’s recent club form is only part of the reason he appears to be leading the race for the Super Eagles’ number-one jersey. He already enjoys the trust of the national team’s coaching staff after his impressive performances during Nigeria’s deep run at the 2023 and 2025 editions of the AFCON. His penalty shootout heroics against South Africa became one of the defining moments of the tournament in Cote d’Ivoire, while he also helped the Super Eagles secure a third-place finish at AFCON 2025 in Morocco.

His experience of playing club football in South Africa also gives him an advantage when Nigeria travel across the continent for difficult away qualifiers, where physical football, aerial battles and challenging playing conditions often test goalkeepers.

Nigeria begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania. The Super Eagles are scheduled to open against Madagascar on September 25 before playing their second qualifier a few days later.

With only the top two teams in the group guaranteed qualification for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, every point will matter from the opening whistle.

If Nwabali continues producing performances like the one against Golden Arrows, he will arrive at international camp with momentum, confidence and match fitness firmly on his side. Combined with Okoye’s injury setback and his own proven record in major tournaments, the Chippa United goalkeeper looks well placed to remain Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper as the Super Eagles begin another important journey towards the Africa Cup of Nations.