Nwabali shines in return to Chippa United

Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was named Man of the Match in Chippa United’s first game of the 2026/27 PSL season against Golden Arrows on Saturday. This was his first competitive game in eight months, and he put on a great performance.

According to Fotmob, the 30-year-old finished the match at King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium with a rating of 9.1, the highest of all players. He made six saves and kept a clean sheet for the Chilli Boys.

Nwabali left Chippa United after Nigeria's AFCON 2025 campaign in Morocco. Both sides agreed to end his contract at that time.

He returned to the team last month after a tough time, which included struggling with mental health following the loss of his parents.

The former Enyimba goalkeeper was a wall against Golden Arrows. Even though the Durban team had more possession and shots on goal, he kept them at bay.

His key moment came just before the hour mark when he made a fantastic double save to stop Ronaldo Van Neel.

Nwabali did more than just stop shots. He helped organize Chippa United’s defense from start to finish. He spoke to his teammates, claimed crosses confidently, and reacted quickly to loose balls in his area.

He made three high claims, three clearances, and 12 ball recoveries. But he still needs to work on his distribution, which had a passing accuracy of 65 percent.

Nwabali became well-known in 2023 when he impressed for the Super Eagles at the Africa Cup of Nations. He became one of Africa's top goalkeepers and took the spot from former Nigeria number one Francis Uzoho.

After leaving Chippa United, he lost his place to Maduka Okoye while being without a club for some time.

His strong performance against Golden Arrows is a good sign to Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle. It shows that one of Nigeria’s best goalkeepers is back and ready to fight for a spot on the national team.

Chippa United, who finished four points above the relegation zone last season, will aim to build on this draw when they face Richards Bay on August 11.