Nigeria Players Abroad
Chiamaka Nnadozie on track to become first goalkeeper to win African Player of the Year
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie continued her impressive form with another penalty save as her French side, Paris FC defeated last season’s beaten finalist, Wolfsburg, and qualified for the group stage of the 2023/2024 UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL).
The impressive performance of the former Rivers Angels player for club and country has brought her into the reckoning ahead of the next CAF Women’s Player of the Year nomination.
She has saved four penalties for club and country in 2023 coupled with saves that have put her side into the limelight.
In the opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Nnadozie saved Nigeria’s blushes as she saved Christine Sinclair’s penalty which ensured a 0-0 draw.
The penalty save played a crucial role in helping the Super Falcons to the Round of 16 of the tournament.
The nine-time African champions for the first time played three group games without a loss at the World Cup with two clean sheets for Nnadozie.
The team only bowed out of the tournament on penalties to European champions, England after another clean sheet for the save hands.
Returning to her club, she saved two penalties against former UWCL winners and last season’s semi-finalist, Arsenal FC women to seal another qualification to the final round of the Qualifiers where they faced Wolfsburg.
Against Wolfsburg, she saved a penalty as the Parisiens secured a 2-0 win to ensure a 5-3 aggregate victory over the former German and Champions League winners.
Apart from Asisat Oshoala was remained one of the fan favourite to win her sixth title, the name of Nnadozie also comes to mind.
Since the commencement of the CAF Awards for women in 2001, no goalkeeper has won the prize. With her recent showings, it won’t be a surprise if the Nigerian goalkeeper clinches the award this year.
