Chippa United head coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi doubts that Stanley Nwabali will feature at AFCON as he’s still recovering from an injury.
Nwabali proved to be vital for Nigeria in the recent months as he led the side to the final of the previous AFCON in Ivory Coast. The 29-year-old was also nominated for the best goalkeeper award in Africa, but Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams came out tops for the gong.
After the recent FIFA World Cup qualifiers playoffs where Nigeria lost to DRC on penalties, Nwabali hasn’t played for the Chilli Boys, and he missed three games against Orlando Pirates and two goalless draws against Siwelele FC and Kaizer Chiefs.
Despite making the preliminary squad, Vilakazi doubs that Nwabali will be ready for AFCON stating that there’s two injuries bothering him, it’s an ankle and he has been playing with an injury on his hand and needs operation to be done.
“I doubt looking at the state of his injury. I don’t think he will make it but when I was talking with him, he was confident that he will recover very soon but obviously you will understand because he wants to be there, but the reality is for now he is still injured. I hope for the best that he might himself there,” Vilakazi told the media.
“It’s an ankle, but the hand also needs an operation because he’s been playing with that hand, so I think he re-aggravated the injury while he was there. So, he needs serious attention.”
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