Brighton & Nnadozie Plagued by Third Loss in a Week

Brighton & Hove Albion Women, backed by Nigerian international Chiamaka Nnadozie between the posts, surrendered a 1–0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium — marking their third loss in seven days.

Arsenal broke the deadlock in the 15th minute via a deflected effort from Olivia Smith off Marisa Olislagers that wrong-footed Nnadozie. Despite Brighton pressing back, they were unable to unlock the Gunners’ defence.

Nnadozie, who entered this fixture as the Women’s Super League’s leading shot-stopper, made two important saves including denying a close-range opportunity from Caitlin Foord and showed good reflexes all game. However, her advanced positioning on certain Arsenal breaks unsettled some team structure.

This result followed earlier defeats to Tottenham Hotspur in the WSL and to West Ham United in the League Cup, compounding a trying week for coach Dario Vidosic’s side. Brighton also suffered from missing Michelle Agyemang and Rose Kafaji (both loaned from Arsenal), who were ineligible for the match.

Editorial

We cannot brush off this stretch of poor results as mere coincidence or bad luck. When a top goalkeeper like Nnadozie is producing solid stops yet the team continues to lose, the issues run deeper than individual errors. Something structural must be addressed.

Brighton’s consistency in conceding such narrow losses suggests fragility in defensive cohesion or tactical flexibility. Having a goalkeeper forced into making saves is part of the game but she should not be the primary barrier between the opposition and her net. The team’s ability to protect her through midfield cover, compact shape, disciplined transitions seems compromised.

We also believe that the absence of key attacking players, as happened here with Agyemang and Kafaji, exposes lack of depth. If the squad cannot absorb the loss of two players to eligibility rules, then recruitment or rotation policies demand rethinking. Elite teams must be prepared for every scenario, not just in full strength.

Nnadozie’s role as a leading shot-stopper makes her performance all the more commendable. But her high positioning at times raises a question of who shields the unguarded spaces behind. If attackers exploit those gaps, the bright moments by the goalkeeper become moot. Tactical discipline especially when under pressure must become nonnegotiable.

We hold that Brighton must act fast: review defensive shape, rethink rotation, shore up midfield protection, and integrate replacements that sustain intensity. Otherwise, a week of three defeats could snowball into sagging morale and further poor results. The potential is there but potential alone does not win games. It must be matched with purposeful structure if the team is to reverse this slide.

Did You Know?

1. Chiamaka Nnadozie joined Brighton & Hove Albion in mid-2025 after a successful spell at Paris FC, where she was named the best goalkeeper in France’s top division.
2. Before this match, she was already the WSL’s leading shot-stopper (most saves) for the season.
3. Brighton have now lost eight consecutive away matches against Arsenal, conceding 27 goals in those fixtures.
4. Michelle Agyemang and Rose Kafaji, loaned from Arsenal, were ineligible to play against their parent club a rule that occasionally causes squad selection challenges.
5. In this particular game, despite Arsenal’s dominance, Brighton forced the Arsenal goalkeeper into multiple saves and had chances of their own, showing resistance even in defeat.