Injury-plagued Nigerian striker, Victor Boniface is celebrating his return to the European spotlight, following his brace of goals for Bayer Leverkusen in a very dramatic pre-season friendly at the weekend, Sports247 reports.

READ ALSO: Back From Injury: ‘I’m Ready To Help’ — Boniface Targets Strong Finish After Long Layoff

While his compatriot, Nathan Tella was also on the score sheet for Leverkusen in the same encounter, the major talking point was about the return of Boniface, who spent all of last season struggling while on loan at Werder Bremen.

However, in what appears like a spirited effort to show that he is ready to stake a bold claim and return to relevance at the former club of ex-international, Karibe Pascal Ojigwe, Boniface made the best of his first match back.

The product of Real Sapphire FC of Lagos hit the bull’s eye twice to help Leverkusen start their pre-season campaign in emphatic style, with a 7-0 win over fifth-tier German side, Sportfreunde Baumberg.

It was the first game for Leverkusen’s new coach, Carles Martínez, and the team got off to a canter when summer signing, Afonso Moreira hit two first-half goals on his debut, while Christian Kofane also scored before the break.

Boniface then took over after the break, as he struck twice, following which Robert Andrich and Tella completed the rout within the game’s 70-minute timeline, as Martinez handed opportunities to several young players, while new signing, Kennet Eichhorn was unavailable.

Sports247 reports further that Boniface took to social media to celebrate his brace of goals, as he posted a selfie showing himself with two raised fingers to indicate his double strike at the weekend.

He will now aim for a continuum of his spark back at Leverkusen when they continue their pre-season build-up schedule this weekend with another friendly, this time out against Kickers Offenbach.

The post Victor Boniface Celebrates Brace Of Goals For Bayer Leverkusen In Pre-season Friendly appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

Nigeria international goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has finally opened up on his return to Chippa United, five months after walking away from the South African club, while his agent has revealed the deeply personal reasons behind the surprising decision.

The Super Eagles first-choice goalkeeper rejoined the Chilli Boys after mutually terminating his contract in February, bringing an end to months of speculation over why he stepped away despite recently signing a long-term extension.

Speaking after his return, Nwabali admitted leaving Chippa United was one of the toughest decisions of his career but insisted it was necessary for his personal well-being.

“It was a difficult decision, but football is about happiness. Your happiness comes first. The club understood my situation, and we both agreed it was the best step for me,” the 29-year-old said in an earlier interview.

While the goalkeeper chose not to disclose the real reason behind his departure at the time, his representative, Mohammed Lawal, has now revealed that Nwabali was battling immense emotional trauma following the loss of three close family members within a short period.

According to Lawal, the deaths of Nwabali’s grandmother, father and mother left the goalkeeper mentally exhausted and forced him to take a break from football before the situation affected both his career and personal life.

“We told him to step away before making a permanent decision that could damage his career. He wasn’t in the right frame of mind and needed time to grieve,” Lawal told ESPN.

The agent stressed that Nwabali’s exit had nothing to do with disagreements at Chippa United or interest from other clubs.

“There were offers from Saudi Arabia, England and elsewhere in Africa, but Stanley simply wasn’t ready to return to football. He needed time to heal emotionally,” he explained.

Lawal added that the goalkeeper deliberately kept his struggles private, insisting that he was under no obligation to publicly discuss his mental health while dealing with personal tragedy.

He also disclosed that Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle maintained regular contact with Nwabali throughout his break, while the goalkeeper sought professional support before deciding he was ready to resume his career.

The strong relationship between Nwabali and Chippa United chairman Siviwe “Chippa”

Mpengesi ultimately paved the way for his return.

“Chippa United understood everything he was going through.

They know him not only as a goalkeeper but as a person. That’s why returning there was the best environment for him to rebuild his career,” Lawal said.

Nwabali shot to global prominence after helping Nigeria reach the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and will now be aiming to rediscover his best form as he begins a fresh chapter with Chippa United ahead of the new season.

The post REVEALED! Emotional Reasons Why Nwabali Returned To Chippa United After Five-Month Break appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has capped a remarkable debut season in England by finishing as the goalkeeper with the highest save percentage in the 2025/26 Barclays Women’s Super League.

READ ALSO: Chiamaka Nnadozie Has Spectacular Quality, Says Brighton Veteran Nikita Parris

The Brighton & Hove Albion shot-stopper recorded an impressive 74.7 per cent save rate, narrowly beating Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton, who finished with 74.6 per cent, while Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce placed third on 73.6 per cent.

Nnadozie, who joined Brighton from Paris FC on a free transfer in July 2025, quickly established herself as one of the league’s finest goalkeepers.

Across 19 league appearances, the 24-year-old faced 83 shots on target and denied 62 of them, underlining her consistency in one of Europe’s most competitive women’s leagues.

The Nigerian international also kept six clean sheets and prevented an estimated 3.3 goals, with her performances playing a key role in Brighton’s competitive campaign.

Earlier in the season, Nnadozie won the WSL Save of the Month award following a spectacular fingertip stop against Liverpool. That effort also earned her a nomination for the league’s Save of the Season honour.

Beyond her individual accolades, the former Paris FC goalkeeper was instrumental in Brighton’s historic run to their first-ever Women’s FA Cup final.

Although the Seagulls narrowly lost to Manchester City at Wembley, Nnadozie produced another standout display with six crucial saves.

Her impressive campaign also saw her finish joint-fourth in the WSL clean sheets chart, further cementing her reputation as one of England’s elite goalkeepers.

The outstanding season adds to an already glittering year for the Super Falcons star, who was crowned CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year for a record third consecutive time and finished fourth in the race for the Yashin Trophy.

Nnadozie has now switched her focus to international duty after linking up with the Super Falcons in Morocco ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where Nigeria will be chasing a record-extending 11th continental title.

With her confidence soaring after a stellar maiden season in England, the Brighton goalkeeper will be expected to play a pivotal role in the Falcons’ quest for African glory.

The post Super Falcons Goalkeeper Nnadozie Emerges as Save Queen in England, Edges Chelsea’s Hampton  appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.