In the aftermath, Nigeria’s goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali addressed the nation with a heartfelt apology.
On his official Instagram page, he wrote: “Painful! We all did our best for the badge, though our best wasn’t enough. I was once a fan and understand how it feels to give you a disappointing night; we take full responsibility.”
Nwabali also made two crucial saves during the shootout, but they could not compensate for missed penalties from his teammates.
The defeat marks a bitter milestone: Nigeria will miss the World Cup for the second consecutive time, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 edition.
Ezinwanne Onwuka, senior staff reporter and columnist with WAP is a Nigerian-based writer and content developer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Her interests include reading, writing, researching and graphic designing.
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Penalty Misses Cost Nigeria 2026 World Cup Spot
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