By Tapiwa Chawagarira
SCOTTLAND goalkeeper Nelson Chadya has etched his name into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League record books by recording his 21st clean sheet of the 2026 season.
Chadya reached the milestone after keeping a clean sheet against Agama on Saturday evening, surpassing the previous record of 20 clean sheets set by Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard during the 2024 campaign.
Bernard established the record in a remarkable season that also earned him the 2024 PSL Goalkeeper of the Year award. His 20 clean sheets came as Chicken Inn conceded only 22 goals across the 34-match campaign.
Chadya’s achievement comes against the backdrop of an outstanding defensive campaign by Scottland, which has emerged as one of the most difficult teams to break down in the top flight.
The former Ngezi Platinum Stars goalkeeper had already attracted considerable attention earlier in the season, with reports highlighting his consistency behind a defence marshalled by players such as Peter Muduhwa and Kevin Moyo.
By June, Chadya had already registered 14 clean sheets after 18 matches, underlining the consistency that has now carried him beyond Bernard’s record.
The milestone also confirms Chadya’s growing stature among Zimbabwe’s leading goalkeepers. Earlier this month, Warriors coach Ramon Catalá included him in the provisional national team squad, crediting him with 21 clean sheets in 28 games and only nine goals conceded for Scottland.
His remarkable run has been supported by a disciplined Scottland defensive unit, with the club repeatedly keeping opponents at bay throughout the campaign.
Interestingly, Chadya’s record-breaking achievement comes just days after Scottland’s continental adventure, during which the goalkeeper was also placed under the spotlight. Club president Pedzai “Scott” Sakupwanya had promised Chadya a US$50,000 reward for keeping a clean sheet in the club’s CAF Champions League campaign.
Bernard’s 2024 record had stood as a benchmark for goalkeeping excellence in the modern PSL era. Before him, Highlanders goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda had finished the 2023 season with 19 clean sheets, winning the Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Chadya has now moved one clear of Bernard and, with matches remaining in the 2026 campaign, has the opportunity to extend the record further.
The achievement is not solely a reflection of the goalkeeper’s individual performances, however. As Chicken Inn assistant coach Fungai “Tostao” Kwashi noted when Bernard set the previous record, clean sheets are also the product of the collective work of the defensive unit in front of the goalkeeper.
For Chadya, though, 21 represents a new benchmark—and another chapter in what has been a remarkable season for both the goalkeeper and Scottland.
