Speaking to SuperSport after the country’s 2-1 victory over Madagascar in their 2027 AFCON qualifier, Ikpeba praised Nwabali’s composure in important matches.
Ikpeba acknowledged the importance of competition for places but said Nwabali has consistently taken his opportunities at international level.
“Credit to Nwabali, he’s the number one goalkeeper for the national team. In my opinion, he’s better than Maduka. People at home might disagree, but he’s the number one goalkeeper for the national team,” the former Africa Player of the Year said.
“He showed that attribute again, the belief, the determination, ‘I’m going to stop the lad’. Yes, the Madagascar attacker should have done better if he had a technique like me in my days.
“He demonstrated that characteristic once more, the assurance, the resolve, ‘I shall prevent the player’. Certainly, the Madagascar forward ought to have performed more effectively had he possessed technical proficiency comparable to my capabilities during my career.
“He prevented our embarrassment because at that moment, had it been 2-1, the match’s conclusion remains uncertain. The result might have concluded 2-2 or resulted in our defeat 2-1.”