AWCON
Nigerians feature in all categories as CAF releases women nominees for 2022 Awards 
There is prevalence of Nigeria in the three categories of CAF Awards for women footballers as list of nominees is released.
However, the relative dominance by Nigeria is waning. While there are four Nigerians among the 30 nominees for the African Woman Footballer, South Africa has six.
Cameroon also rivals Nigeria with four nominees.
Emerging powerhouse, Morocco has three just like Ghana another former women football stronghold that is fast losing steam.
The prime category covers all players irrespective of where they are based. The four nominees from Nigeria include Asisat Oshoala who is gunning for a record setting fifth win of the award having won in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019.
She had also won the Youth Player Award in 2014. Among her compatriots jostling for the title in which she is the current holder are Rashedat Ajibade of Atletico Madrid, Chiamaka Nnadozie of Paris FC and Uchenna Kanu of Tigres UNNL.
In the category that deals with CAF clubs’ competition, two Nigerians – Gift Monday who moved from Rivers Angels to FC Robo and her former team mate, Maryann Ezenagu are listed among 20 others.
While two Nigerians club players are listed, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa have four just like Sekondi Hasaacas of Ghana and AS FAR of Morocco.
Malabo Kings of Equatorial Guinea has three players while Nigeria, Wadi Delga of Egypt has two. AS Mande of Mali has a nominee.
There are 10 nominees for the Young Player of the Year. Nigeria has two players – Flourish Sebastine of Bayelsa Queens and Gift Monday formally of Rivers Angels who is having a second nomination in the CAF Awards.
The list will still be cut down as the award day approaches even as nominees for two other awards – National Team and Coach – are being awaited.
According to CAF, for the purpose of concluding a credible list, the performances at the ongoing Women’s AFCON will be taken into consideration in deciding on the nominees for the National Team and Coach of the Year. The winners of the respective category will be announced at the Awards Gala on 21 July 2022 in Rabat, Morocco.
A panel made up of technical experts, CAF legends and media representatives decided on the first list for the various categories.
The final list will be decided by a voting panel made up of CAF Technical Committee, media representatives, head coaches and captains of Member Associations and clubs involved at the group stage of the Interclub competitions.
The CAF Awards 2022 will be held ahead of the final of Africa’s flagship women’s competitions, TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2022 scheduled to take place between 02 July – 23 July 2022. The event will also coincide with the two-year anniversary of the launch of the CAF Women’s Football Strategy.
Nominees (in alphabetic order by Member Association)
Player of the Year (Women)
· Lesege Radiakanyo (Botswana & Double Action)
· Refilwe Tholakele (Botswana & Township Rollers)
· Rukiya Bizimana (Burundi & Etoile du matin)
· Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon & Internazionale Milano)
· Gabrielle Onguene (Cameroon & CSKA Moscow)
· Jeanette Yango (Cameroon & FC Fleury)
· Rose Bella (Cameroon & Trabzonspor)
· Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Alvaldsnes)
· Doris Boaduwaa (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas)
· Perpetual Agyekum (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas/Alvaldsnes)
· Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco & AS FAR)
· Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco & AS FAR)
· Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco & AS FAR)
· Zenatha Coleman (Namibia & Fenerbahce)
· Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)
· Rasheedat Ajibade (Nigeria & Atletico Madrid)
· Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria & Paris FC)
· Uchenna Kanu (Nigeria & Tigres UANL)
Andile Dlamini (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
· Bambanani Mbane (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
· Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Atletico Madrid)
· Jermaine Seoposenwe (South Africa & Sporting Clube de Braga)
· Refiloe Jane (South Africa & AC Milan)
· Linda Motlhalo (South Africa & Djurgardens IF)
· Odette Gnintegma (Togo & Raja Ain Harrouda)
· Mariem Houij (Tunisia & ALG Spor)
· Sabrine Ellouzi (Tunisia & Feyenoord)
· Fazila Ikwaput (Uganda & Dove FC)
· Racheal Kundananji (Zambia & SD Eibar)
· Grace Chanda (Zambia & BIIK Kazygurt)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
· Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns)
· Bambanani Mbanie (Mamelodi Sundowns)
· Zanele Nhlapho (Mamelodi Sundowns)
· Andisiwe Mgcoyi (Mamelodi Sundowns)
· Evelyn Badu (Sekondi Hasaacas/Alvaldsnes)
· Doris Boaduwaa (Sekondi Hasaacas)
· Janet Egyir (Sekondi Hasaacas)
· Perpetual Agyekum (Sekondi Hasaacas/Alvaldsnes)
· Fatima Zahra Dahmos (AS FAR)
· Ghizlane Chebbak (AS FAR)
· Sanaa Mssoudy (AS FAR)
· Fatima Tagnaout (AS FAR)
· Grace Mfwamba (Malabo Kings)
· Stephanie Gbogou (Malabo Kings)
· Rose Bella (Malabo Kings)
· Fatoumatta Dukureh (Wadi Degla)
· Hayama Abdellatif (Wadi Degla)
· Gift Monday (River Angels/FC Robo)
· Maryann Ezenagu (River Angels)
· Bassira Toure (AS Mande)
Young Player of the Year (Women)
· Rukiya Bizimana (Burundi & Etoile du Matin)
· Rediet Assresahagn (Ethiopia & Hawassa City FC)
· Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas/Alvaldsnes)
· Doris Boaduwaa (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas/Alvaldsnes)
· Yasmine Zouhir (Morocco & AS Saint-Etienne)
· Gift Monday (Nigeria & River Angels/FC Robo)
· Flourish Sebastine (Nigeria & Bayelsa Queens)
· Hapsatou Malado Diallo (Senegal & US Parcelles Assainies)
· Clara Luvanga (Tanzania & Yanga Princess)
· Fauzia Najemba (Uganda & BIIK Kazygurt)
Club of the Year (Women)
· Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
· Sekondi Hasaacas (Ghana)
· AS FAR (Morocco)
· Malabo Kings (Equatorial Guinea)
· Wadi Degla (Egypt)
· River Angels (Nigeria)
· AS Mande (Mali)
Democratic Republic of Congo side, TP Mazembe are officially the champions of the CAF Women’s Champions League Morocco 2024.
A highly tactical and hard fought 1-0 victory in the final played in El Jadida’s Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi against former champions and hosts, AS FAR saw the DR Congo side crowned the new champions of Africa for the first time – wiping away tears of their 2022 group stage exit.
With the crowd backing the hosts, Mazembe showed great resilience and courage in taking the match to the former champions who remain in search for what has been an elusive second title for them.
The deciding goal of the fourth edition of the tournament came courtesy of a converted spot kick by Marlene Kasaj in the opening 10 minutes, which Mazembe protected throughout the match to seal the historic victory.
Despite the early concession, AS FAR kept believing and surged forward in search of the leveller, but a resolute Mazembe defense kept the clean sheet throughout the opening half.
Coming back from the break, it was surprisingly Mazembe who looked more dangerous as they came out strong in an attempt to kill off the game.
The hosts eventually found their rhythm but again were met by a disciplined Mazembe defense, who kept the former champions at bay to secure Africa’s most sought-after women’s club football crown.
In addition to the coveted CAF Women’s Champions League trophy, TP Mazembe also take home $600 000 in prize money, while runners-up AS FAR take home $400 000.
-CAF
BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The National Chairman of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) Samuel Ikpea has tipped the Super Falcons of Nigeria to claim their 10th African Women’s Cup of Nations title in Morocco when they begin their campaign next year.
Ikpea’ remarks came after the Friday night draw that put Algeria, Tunisia and Botswana in the same group with the Super Falcons.
“Our girls are going to play in a group with two North African countries (Tunisia and Algeria). “It is going to be interesting, and I am optimistic that our girls will scale from our group”.
Nigeria will tackle two North African teams – Tunisia and Algeria – as well as Botswana, in Group B of the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals taking place in Morocco next summer.
The Falcons will surely relish another meeting with Algeria’s Green Ladies, whom they defeated 2-0 and 4-1 respectively in two friendly matches in Nigeria last month.
Botswana eliminated Gabon in the qualifying series and Tunisia were the quarter-finalists at the last edition also hosted by Morocco.
At the draw conducted on Friday evening at the Technical Centre of the Mohamed VI Football Complex in Sale, outside Rabat, host nation Morocco, earlier slotted into Group A, learnt they will have to cope with Zambia, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Cup holders South Africa are in Group C and will square up to Ghana, Mali and Tanzania in the three-week, 12-nation final tournament taking place 5th – 26th July 2025.
Hosts Morocco finished as runners-up in the last edition in July 2022, with Zambia taking the bronze after a 1-0 defeat of Nigeria in the third-place match.
GROUP A: Morocco, Zambia, Senegal, DR Congo
GROUP B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana
GROUP C: South Africa, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania
How time flies! It’s 32 years since Okocha’s debut for Super Eagles
Spain’s drumbeat falls silent as superfan Manolo ‘el del Bombo’ dies at 76
Fourteen-year-old Senegalese footballer dies after cardiac arrest during match in France
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- OBITUARY1 week ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- feature1 week ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu
- U-20 FOOTBALL3 days ago
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles set to begin 8th African title chase
- CAF Champions League1 week ago
Al Ahly, Sundowns brace for Cairo showdown with final spot on the line
- DIPLOMACY3 days ago
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI meets with members of the Sahel States Alliance
- U-20 FOOTBALL5 days ago
African youth stars chase glory as U-20 AFCON kicks off in Egypt today