By Oviri Kelvin, Sports Editor
Nigeria’s and Barcelona Femini forward Asisat Oshoala has won the 2022 CAF Women Player of the Year award for the fifth time surpassing her fellow compatriot, Perpetua Nkwocha’s record, to become the all-time highest record holder in the continent in both male and female categories.
The CAF award ceremony held in Mohamed VI Technical Centre in Sale, Rabat, saw Bayern Munich’s new signing and Senegalese forward, Sadio Mane scooping home the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
Oshoala, who recently returned to Barcelona after sustaining an injury in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, won the Pichichi award in Spain last season to become the first African and the second Barcelona Femini player to win the award. The Trumpet Gathered
The 27-year-old Super Falcon has been fantastic in her footballing career prior to her fifth CAF accolade having played in top English clubs, Liverpool and Arsenal where she won the Women’s FA Cup with the latter in the 2015-2016 season.
She was instrumental to her club’s success last season with a record of 20 league goals despite being ruled out by injury for a couple of months from action.
While in the men’s regard, Sadio Mane guided his country to win their first African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title by slotting in the decisive penalty kick against Egypt in Cameroon’s final.
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Mane made his debut for the Senegalese national team in 2012 and has established himself as a rallying point where he has been capped 91 times to finish off 33 chances advantageously.
The former Liverpool player recently joined Bayern Munich this summer after winning the Carabao Cup and Fa Cup last season for Liverpool and featured in the UEFA Champions League final in Stade de France against Real Madrid.
Remarkably, the 30-year-old Teranga Lions’ captain who won the 2019 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award is the only Senegalese player that has won the diadem two times.
Other recipients of CAF awards are Ghana’s Evelyn Badu, who won both the Interclub Player of the Year (Women) and Young Player of the Year (Women) awards, Egypt’s Mohamed El Shenawy for Interclub Player of the Year (Men), Senegal’s Pape Matar Sarr for Young Player of the Year (Men).
More so, Banyana Banyana coach, Desiree Ellis and Teranga Lions coach, Aliou Cisse, scooped home the CAF Coach of the Year awards for women and men respectively while the Club of the Year award (Women) went to
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa and that for the men was given to Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco.
CAF concluded the event with the Teranga Lions of Senegal winning the CAF National Team of the Year award while that of the women, will be awarded at the close of the WAFCON tournament in Morocco.
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