Arsenal v Brighton: Super Falcons star Nnadozie chases African history in England’s WSL

Chiamaka Nnadozie is closing in on a remarkable personal achievement as she looks to end her debut season with Brighton & Hove Albion by winning the Women’s Super League Golden Glove, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Super Falcons goalkeeper has enjoyed an impressive campaign in England, keeping six clean sheets in 18 league appearances so far. That return places her among the top contenders for the award, which is given to the goalkeeper with the highest number of clean sheets at the end of the season.

However, the race remains tight. Manchester City’s Ayaka Yamashita, Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton, and Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce are currently ahead, each with seven clean sheets. That leaves Nnadozie with work to do in the final stretch of the season.

Brighton have two league matches remaining, both to be played at home. They take on third-placed Arsenal on Wednesday evening before finishing their campaign against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, May 16. Nnadozie will boost her chances of winning the Golden Glove by keeping clean sheets in both fixtures and hope her rivals ship goals.

If she succeeds, it would be a historic moment, as she would become the first African goalkeeper to win the Women’s Super League Golden Glove.

Beyond the clean sheets, her performances this season have been backed up by strong statistics. She currently holds the best save percentage in the league at 74.4%. She also ranks second in goals prevented, with an impressive figure of 3.50, and is third for saves per 90 minutes, averaging 3.20.

The Nigeria international is the reason why mid-table Brighton boast the best defence outside of the top four teams.

Nnadozie: A career built on excellence

While the Golden Glove remains a key personal target, Nnadozie is also chasing team success with Brighton before the season ends. The Seagulls are set to face Liverpool in the semi-final of the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday at the BrewDog Stadium, giving her another opportunity to push for silverware.

Winning a trophy would not be new territory for the Nigerian goalkeeper. Before her move to England, Nnadozie spent five successful years at Paris FC from 2020 to 2025, where she built a strong reputation in European football.

One of her standout moments came in the 2024/25 season, when she helped Paris FC win the Coupe de France Féminine. In the final against Paris Saint-Germain, she played a decisive role by saving two penalties in the shootout, securing the club’s first major trophy in nearly two decades.

She was also instrumental in helping Paris FC qualify for the UEFA Women’s Champions League for three straight seasons. During that period, the club recorded famous victories over top sides such as Arsenal and Wolfsburg in 2023.

Individually, Nnadozie collected several honours. She was named the D1 Arkema Goalkeeper of the Season in 2023/24, becoming the first African to win the award. She was also included in the league’s Team of the Year in back-to-back seasons and won the Bruno Martini Award earlier in her career.

Her reputation as a penalty specialist also grew, especially during the 2023/24 season when she saved seven penalties in open play. By 2025, her performances earned her a fourth-place finish in the Yashin Trophy rankings, recognising her as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.