Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has expressed gratitude to Nigerians and his teammates after being named Man of the Match in Nigeria’s bronze-medal clash against Egypt.

Nwabali delivered a solid performance to help Nigeria secure a 4-2 victory over Egypt on penalties after regulation time ended goalless. 

The Chippa United captain was the hero of the shootout, saving two spot-kicks from Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah and Manchester City attacker Omar Marmoush.

His decisive interventions proved crucial as the Super Eagles claimed the bronze medal, with his heroics earning him the Man of the Match award.

Speaking after receiving the honour, Nwabali praised the unwavering support of Nigerian fans, acknowledging their encouragement despite the disappointment of missing out on a place in the final.

"First I want to say a big thanks to my nation and a lot of our fans that came to support us today," he said. 

Reflecting on the team's performance during the tournament, Nwabali admitted that finishing third was not the team’s original target but said it was still an achievement to be proud of.

"I really appreciate my teammates. These guys deserve the best. I know this is not the position we want but we will take it," he added. 

He added that the Super Eagles arrived at the tournament as underdogs and thanked the coaching crew for their belief and guidance.

"Initially, we came to this tournament as underdogs. I want to say thank you to the management and the coaches," he said. 

Adeyemi Adewale