‘It's nice to be on holiday’ - Nwabali claims he did not do much to keep a clean sheet against Mozambique

Nigeria secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Mozambique in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 game on Monday.

The win marked Nwabali's first clean sheet of the campaign, a notable achievement for the keeper who set a new Nigerian record at the 2023 AFCON. 

In that tournament, he went 493 minutes without conceding a goal, surpassing the previous benchmark held by legendary shot-stopper Ike Shorunmu.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Nwabali highlighted the team's unity and defensive discipline as key factors in the victory.

"First, I want to say kudos to these guys, from the coach to the players," he stated. "They are one family, fighting like this and winning with a clean sheet."

"I feel like there's a lot of improvement in the team," he explained. "A tournament is not something you rush... 

“We played the first game, second game, third game, and we conceded. Now we've kept a clean sheet for you. The more we keep clean sheets, the further we will go," Nwabali added.

When questioned about the upcoming quarter-final in Marrakesh, Nwabali remained focused on the present, humorously remarking on his light workload during the match.

"I don't like talking about my next game until the day I'm playing," he said. "I'm just happy we won today. You can see I didn't do much. 

“It's nice to be on holiday. I didn't celebrate in December, so now I'm celebrating my own December here."

As the Super Eagles advance, their focus remains on building from their recent improvements, with Nwabali and his teammates determined to continue their pursuit of continental glory.