‘Chippa’ Mpengesi declares his support for Nigeria against Bafana

Chippa United boss Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi has expressed his support for the Super Eagles before their Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) semifinals clash against Bafana Bafana at Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, Ivory Coast, on Wednesday (7pm).

The Gqeberha club posted a statement on their social platforms where Mpengesi applauded the Premier Soccer League for showcasing the highest number of domestic players at the Nations Cup.

He acknowledged Bafana coach Huge Broos for putting his trust in domestic players, unlike previous national team bosses who often preferred to select overseas-based stars.

However, Mpengesi, who has enjoyed sponsorship from the Eastern Cape government since 2014, declared his support for the Nigerian team in Wednesday’s clash.

The eccentric, often controversial Chippa chair based his eyebrow-raising pledge on the performances of the Chilli Boys' Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali for the Super Eagles at the Nations Cup. 

“As the chair of Chippa United FC and a proud South African, I find myself in a unique position during the 2023 Afcon tournament in that our own Nigerian international, Stanley Nwabali, has been a revelation,” Mpengesi said.

“His performance for the Nigerian team has caught the eyes of the globe, earning him and our club international acclaim.

“With Stanley’s rising profile and the international attention it brings to Chippa United, the benefits have been nothing but positive.

“Therefore, Chippa United FC and I stand behind our player, Stanley Nwabali, and the Nigerian Super Eagles against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.

“We wish the Super Eagles all the best.”

Nwabali is one of only two African-based players in Nigeria's mostly European-based squad. The Chippa keeper has conceded one goal in Ivory Coast, in the Super Eagles' opening 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea, then kept four clean sheets in their next four games — wins against Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon and Angola.

Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, from Gqeberha, has a similar record, conceding two goals as South Africa started with a defeat against Mali then keeping four successive clean sheets. Williams also made an unheard of four penalty stops in the shoot-out quarterfinal win against Cape Verde.