The 2020-21 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) campaign came to an end on Thursday with the deserving team ‘Akwa United’ emerging as the Champions having whipped Mountain Of Fire Ministry (MFM) 5-2 in the penultimate match of the season.
While the season that began with trudging was coasting towards a fantastic end, there comes the face of controversy which raised its ugly head during one of the last matches of the season which deprived both the fans and neutrals of what could have been a great NPFL season.
However, controversy or no controversy the 2020-21 campaign still comes with a lot of positives in terms of brilliant goalkeeping from all the goalies who kept clean sheets for their respective clubs. Bearing in mind that every season the NPFL rewards a goalkeeper with an award for a commendable job.
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- Adeyinka Adewale – (Akwa United, 16)
The hallmark of a good goalkeeper in between the sticks is his skill-set or ability to shield his team from conceding. With the amazing record v the Promise Keepers safe hand achieve this season we could comfortably say he oozes stuff of champions.
When Adewale equaled Kano Pillars’ Suraj Ayeleso three-year record of 15 clean sheets on matchday 31 set in the 2016-17 NPFL campaign while with Nasarawa United. It’s was evident that it’s was just a matter of time before he would set a new record in the league which he did achieve on matchday 32 against Enyimba with just 27 games.
The Champions shot-stopper was so good that he was honored with an award of excellence, having kept 10 clean sheets after the first stanza. Adewale up the ante as the season progress by playing a pivotal role in helping Akwa United put an end to their years of trophy drought.
- Dele Aiyenugba – (Kwara United, 16)
Interestingly, Dele started his professional career with Kwara United in 1998 before he crossed over to Enyimba in 2001 where he won four NPFL titles and two CAF Champions League with the People’s Elephant.
When the Afonja Warriors announced the signing of Aiyenugba ahead of the 2020-21 season, they wouldn’t have imagined he would play an instrumental role in their quest to compete toe-to-toe with the regular suspects for a continental position in the NPFL amidst playing scintillating football.
During the 2019-20 campaign, the Afonja Warriors were struggling in the relegation water before the season was abruptly ended due to Covid-19.
Step forward to the 2020-21 campaign, having added quality and experience figures like Aiyenugba to their rank, they surprise many with their commendable performances by giving the traditional top teams a run for their money as the former Bnei Yehuda goalie racked up a total of 16 clean sheets to his name.
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- Stanley Nwabali – (Lobi Stars, 14)
When the Ortom Boys were experiencing a goalkeeping dilemma before the season break, the urgent need for an experienced goalie was no doubt their major priority in addressing their pressing shot-stopper concern. In that sense, they brought in Stanley Nwabali from Wikki Tourists on loan for the rest of the campaign with an option of renewal.
To say the club’s decision to sign the 24-year-old shot-stopper was a smart move is an understatement. The former Go Round star repay the trust the coach and the club’s board had in him by helping his team finished eighth on the NPFL table with a resounding 14 clean sheets.
With the impressive performances, Nwabali’s performances this season further throw him to the front-burner for national team duty, having been listed amongst the home-based Eagles squad that went to America for the Mexico encounter.
- Adamu Abubakar – (Plateau United, 10)
Wikki Tourists has proven to be the hunting ground for teams in the NPFL, as two of their former employees churn out commendable performances for their respective clubs. Interestingly Abubakar also joined the Jos-based club from the ‘Giant Elephant’ following the end of the 2019-20 campaign.
The 23 years Abubakar didn’t just show his know-how as a brilliant goalkeeper in the league, he also brought it to the Cup game against Nasarawa United. However, it was quite unfortunate as Plateau United couldn’t secure a continental ticket
- Sharp Uzoigwe – (Ifeanyi Ubah, 10)
Ifeanyi Uba would play their next season football in the Nigeria National League (NNL) come next season having endured an unpalatable campaign that got them relegated to the second division.
Irrespective of the poor season the ‘Anambra Warriors’ went through, it doesn’t deter Uzoigwe from been listed amongst the best goalkeepers who registered commendable clean sheets in the NPFL.
With the brilliant campaign he had with the NPFL Galacticos as their nickname says, top teams in the league who noticed his skill-set in between the sticks might consider snapping him up from the relegated team.
- Chijioke Ejiogu – (Heartland FC, 9)
The old saying about the older the wine, the better it becomes, gives credence to how consistent the former Enyimba shot-stopper has been in the NPFL.
Arugbo Monkey” as he’s popularly called also showed his hands with an impressive 9 clean sheets to his name to help the ‘Naze Millionaires’ finished in the middle of the table.
Quite a number of decent goalies had come and gone for the Owerri club, but the veteran shot-stopper keeps showing that his decade of experiences in the NPFL often stands him tall amongst others when called upon.
- Chinedu Anozie – (Plateau United, 8)
Leading the race for the golden glove award at the start of the season was Anozie who first had three clean sheets from 4 games but unfortunately, the 27-year-old goalie couldn’t finish what he started as he dropped down the pecking order.
However, we could cut him some slack because the goalkeepers ahead of him have also been brilliant for their respective teams. Albeit he won the golden glove last season but couldn’t achieve that this season while he only settled for 8 clean sheets.
The good thing about having two quality hands in one position is that it creates room for competition.
- Adeniyi Bamidele – (MFM FC, 8)
Bamidele has been in phenomenal form in between the sticks for the Olukoya Boys in recent months, which cumulated in him winning his club’s player of the month award for May following his impressive display in goal where he kept four clean sheets in four games.
The 28-year-old shot-stopper didn’t let his heroic display that won him the club’s ‘Player Of The Month Award’ for the month of May makes him complacent with his performances. However, that further push him in churning out a good display that helped the resurgent Lagos-based club finished 10th on the log.
With the 2020-21 NPFL season done and dusted, the club would hope Bamidele continue with his good form come next campaign, as he would be expected to help them launch an assault once again on a continental spot like they did in 2018 when they played in the CAF Champions League.
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- Nana Bonsu – (Enugu Rangers, 8)
The former Ghana U17 shot-stopper has been on the upward trajectory since he joined Rangers in 2016 for free from Ashanti Gold, his good run of display cumulated in him been named the most outstanding goalkeeper of the 2018-19 CAF Confederations Cup group stage.
With this impressive feat, he’s one of the shining lights in the NPFL keeping a decent eight clean sheets all through the season.
The Flying Antelopes may have failed to win the league despite been one of the favorite contenders to win the title when the 2020-21 NPFL season kick-started. However, trust them to come back stronger and better next season with the services of Bonsu in goal for them as their first choice goalie.
- Theophilus Afelokhai – (Rivers United, 8)
When the Pride of Rivers confirmed the signing of Afelokhai from Enyimba they knew the kind of quality they’re bringing into their rank. The 33-year-old star has been a huge blessing to Stanley Eguma’s led side in the league for his know-how in goal.
The serial winner Afelokhai has once again shown why he remains one of the best safe hands in the league. The former Enyimba goalkeeper helped his team secure a continental ticket through his consistency in goal, keeping eight clean sheets that rank him amongst the finest in the 2020-21 season.
Afelokhai may not be swashbuckling in terms of his distribution like the contemporary day goalkeepers who are quite impeccable with their distributions. Regardless, that doesn’t take anything away from the former Sai Masu Gida quality as he remains one of the most decorated players in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
