AFCON
African Footballer of the Year likely winner, Osimhen set to eternally lead goal scorers’ chart to Cote d’Ivoire 2023
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
There have been 261 goals scored in 110 matches played so far as the qualifying matches for Cote d’Ivoire gets to conclusion this weekend. Six of them are own goals.
Nigeria Victor Osimhen leads Senegal’s Sadio Mane with two goals as the qualifying series for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations comes to a close. The Super Eagles face hapless Sao Tome and Principe who are already eliminated.
Senegal, who like Nigeria, already qualified also have eliminated Rwanda to face in the last match day. Like Nigeria, Senegal also play at home.
Although the last match day is not a direct confrontation of Nigeria and Senegal, it is an indirect confrontation of Osimhen and Mane.
Goals from the two will give a definite picture of the lead scorer in the qualifying series.
At the moment, Osimhen sit atop with seven goals – great thanks to the four goals he scored in the Match Day 2 against Sao Tome & Principe in a 10-0 rout.
Three other goals in two matches against Sierra Leone put his total at seven.
He could be upstaged at the top position if he fails to score against Sao Tome & Principe on Sunday in Uyo and if Mane scores more than two goals against Rwanda.
Victor Osimhen’s two goals against Sierra Leone on Sunday did not just aid Nigeria’s victory and subsequent qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, the in-form striker is now the lead scorer in the qualification series.
The brace has taken his total to seven, surpassing Senegal’s Sadio Mané with whom he had earlier tied with five goals.
Leading the scorers’ chat at the preliminary competition of the Africa Cup of Nations as well as his accomplishment at the Serie A last season will obviously swing the pendulum of African Footballer of the Year in favour of Osimhen.
The award was last won by a a Nigerian in 1999 when Nwankwo Kanu was crowned just before the Nigeria-Tunisia Africa Cup of Nations opener in Lagos in 2000.
The award will be made in Rabat Morocco on 11 December.
The Goal Scorers:
7 goals
- Victor Osimhen – Nigeria
5 goals
- Sadio Mane – Senegal
4 goals
- Dango Quattara – Burkina Faso
- Louis Mafouta – Central African Republic
- Peter Shalulile – Namibia
- Patson Daka – Zambia
3 goals
- Mohamed El Amine Amoura – Algeria
- Zinho Gano – Guinea Bissau
- Jorginho – Guinea Bissau
- Lyle Foster – South Africa
- Youssef Msakni – Tunisia
2 goals
- Gelson Dala – Angola
- Bonfols-Caleb Bimenyimana – Burundi
- Youssouf M’Changama – Comoros
- Cedric bakambu – DR Congo
- Omar Marmoush – Egypt
- Mostafa Mohamed – Egypt
- Mohamed Salah – Egypt
- Federico Bikoro – Equatorial Guinea
- Emiliao Nsue – Equatorial Guinea
- Sabelo Ndzinisa – Eswatini
- Ablie Jallow – Gambia
- Osman Bukari – Ghana
- Mohammed Kudus – Ghana
- Naby Keita – Guinea
- Chris Kouame – Cote d’Ivoire
- Ibrahim Sangare – Cote d’Ivoire
- Ganbadinho Mhango – Malawi
- Mohamed Camara – Mali
- El Bilal Toure – Mali
- Aboubakar Kamara – Mauritania
- Youssef En-Nesyri – Morocco
- Geny Catamo – Mozambique
- Daniel Sosah – Niger
- Terem Moffi – Nigeria
- Moses Simon – Nigeria
- Luis Leal – Sao Tome & Principe
- Boulaye Dia – Senegal
- Mustapha Bundu – Senegal
- August Kargbo – Senegal
- Zakhele Lepasa – South Africa
- Saimon Msuva – Tanzania
- Kodjo Laba – Togo
- Euloge Placca – Togo
- Haythem Jouini – Tunisia
- Lameck Banda – Zambia
- Kings Kangwa – Zambia
1 goal
- Youcef Belaïli-Algeria
- Ramy Bensebaini– Algeria
- Baghdad Bounedjah– Algeria
- Riyad Mahrez – Algeria
- Aïssa Mandi-Algeria
- Kialonda Gaspar – Angola
- Lucas João – Angola
- Felício Milson – Angola
- M’Bala Nzola– Angola
- Jodel Dossou– Benin
- Abdoul Rachid Moumini– Benin
- Steve Mounié– Benin
- Junior Olaitan – Benin
- Mbatshi Elias– Botswana
- Gape Mohutsiwa – Botswana
- Kabelo Seakanyeng – Botswana
- Stephane Aziz Ki – Burkina Faso
- Hassane Bandé – Burkina Faso
- Issoufou Dayo – Burkina Faso
- Abdoul Tapsoba– Burkina Faso
- Abedi Bigirimana-Burundi
- Hussein Shabani – Burundi
- Vincent Aboubakar– Cameroon
- Olivier Kemen – Cameroon
- Karl Toko Ekambi – Cameroon
- Bebé– Cape Verde
- Clé – Cape Verde
- João Paulo Fernandes – Cape Verde
- Ryan Mendes — Cape Verde
- Jamiro Monteiro — Cape Verde
- Júlio Tavares – Cape Verde
- Geoffrey Kondogbia– Central African Republic
- Karl Namnganda– Central African Republic
- Isaac Ngoma – Central African Republic
- Samuel Nlend -Central African Republic
- El Fardou Ben Nabouhane– Comoros
- Ibroihim Djoudja– Comoros
- Benjaloud Youssouf – Comoros
- Thievy Bifouma– Congo
- Gabriel Charpentier-Congo
- Antoine Makoumbou-Congo
- Jonathan Bolingi -DR Congo
- Gaël Kakuta – DR Congo
- Arthur Masuaku -DR Congo
- Fiston Kalala Mayele -DR Congo
- Aaron Tshibola -DR Congo
- Tarek Hamed– Egypt
- Ahmed Sayed Zizo -Egypt
- Mahmoud Hassan Trézéguet -Egypt
- Saúl Coco– Equatorial Guinea
- Iban Salvador– Equatorial Guinea
- Siboniso Ngwenya– Eswatini
- Shimelis Bekele-Ethiopia
- Dawa Hotessa– Ethiopia
- Kitika Jemma -Ethiopia
- Kenean Markneh – Ethiopia
- Abubeker Nassir -Ethiopia
- Shavy Babicka -Gabon
- Lloyd Palun -Gabon
- Hamza Barry – Gambia
- Omar Colley – Gambia
- Felix Afena-Gyan -Ghana
- Antoine Semenyo -Ghana
- Mohamed Bayo -Guinea
- Morgan Guilavogui -Guinea
- Serhou Guirassy – Guinea
- François Kamano -Guinea
- Ilaix Moriba – Guinea
- Mama Baldé-Guinea Bissau
- Zidane Banjaqui -Guinea Bissau
- Alfa Semedo – Guinea Bissau
- Serge Aurier -Cote d’Ivoire
- Sébastien Haller-Cote d’Ivoire
- Franck Kessié-Cote d’Ivoire
- Jean-Philippe Krasso -Cote d’Ivoire
- Tshwarelo Bereng-Lesotho
- William Jebor-Liberia
- Mohammed Sangare-Liberia
- Tonia Tisdell-Liberia
- Saleh Al Taher-Libya
- Njiva Rakotoharimalala-Madagascar
- Kalifa Coulibaly– Mali
- Aliou Dieng-Mali
- Nene Dorgeles-Mali
- Kamory Doumbia-Mali
- Sékou Koïta -Mali
- Ibrahima Koné -Mali
- Adama Malouda Traoré -Mali
- Aly Abeid -Mauritania
- Nouh Mohamed El Abd -Mauritania
- Hassan Houbeib – Mauritania
- Abdallahi Mahmoud -Mauritania
- Mouhamed Soueid – Mauritania
- Hemeya Tanjy -Mauritania
- Ayoub El Kaabi -Morocco
- Fayçal Fajr -Moroccco
- Hakim Ziyech -Morocco
- Clésio – Mozambique
- Stanley Ratifo -Mozambique
- Gildo Vilanculos -Mozambique
- Absalom Iimbondi -Namibia
- Wendell Rudath -Namibia
- Amadou Sabo -Niger
- Emmanuel Dennis -Nigeria
- Peter Etebo -Nigeria
- Kelechi Iheanacho -Nigeria
- Alex Iwobi -Nigeria
- Ademola Lookman -Nigeria
- Thierry Manzi -Rwanda
- Gilbert Mugisha-Rwanda
- Blaise Nishimwe -Rwanda
- Eba Viegas – Sao Tome & Principe
- Boulaye Dia – Senegal
- Habib Diallo -Senegal
- Iliman Ndiaye -Senegal
- Youssouf Sabaly -Senegal
- Abdoulaye Seck -Senegal
- Musa Noah Kamara -Sierra Leone
- Abu Komeh-Sierra Leone
- Alhassan Koroma -Sierra Leone
- Jonathan Morsay -Sierra Leone
- Abubakarr Samura -Sierra Leone
- Mihlali Mayambela -South Africa
- Peter Chol – South Sudan
- Chol Daniel – South Sudan
- Tito Okello – South Sudan
- Valentino Yuel – South Sudan
- Mohamed Abdelrahman -Sudan
- Waleed Al-Shoala -Sudan
- Muhamed Kome -Sudan
- George Mpole -Tanzania
- Kévin Denkey -Togo
- Seifeddine Jaziri -Tunisia
- Ali Maâloul – Tunisia
- Naïm Sliti -Tunisia
- Fahad Bayo -Uganda
- Milton Karisa -Uganda
- Rogers Mato -Uganda
- Enock Mwepu -Zambia
- Fashion Sakala – Zambia
1 own goal
- Ditsele – Botswana (against Equatorial Guinea)
- Serge Aurier -Cote d’Ivoire (against Zambia)
- Mohammed Al Tuhami – Libya (against Equatorial Guinea)
- Boubakar Kouyaté -Mali (against South Sudan)
- Munir Mohamedi – Morocco (against South Africa)
- Rehan Angier -South Sudan (against Gambia)
AFCON
Nigerians, other nationals can apply, as CAF and Morocco Launch Volunteer Programme for AFCON 2025
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Morocco have launched the official Volunteer Programme for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, billed to run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
According to CAF, more than 4,000 volunteers will be recruited to play a central role in ensuring the success of Africa’s most prestigious football tournament, which will be staged across six cities and nine stadiums in Morocco.
Applications are now open at volunteers.cafonline.com and will close on 8 October 2025. The opportunity is open to anyone above the age of 18.
Volunteers will be deployed across multiple functional areas, including media operations, spectator services, accreditation, hospitality, and fan engagement. Selected individuals will receive professional training ahead of the competition and work behind the scenes to deliver a memorable AFCON.
CAF stated that the programme is designed not only to support tournament operations but also to create an alumni network of skilled Africans who can contribute to future sporting events across the continent. Successful applicants will benefit from:
- Training and skill development.
- Official uniforms and certificates of participation.
- Networking opportunities with peers and professionals.
- The chance to contribute to Africa’s football legacy.
Volunteer registration opened on 17 September 2025. Selection and training will take place in October and November, with operations commencing in mid-December through to the tournament’s conclusion on 18 January 2026.
CAF described the initiative as an “exciting opportunity” for Africans to contribute to the growth of the continent’s flagship sporting event, which is expected to draw millions of visitors to Morocco.
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AFCON
CAF Security Chief, Nigeria’s Emeruwa, Leads Inspection of Tangier Stadium Ahead of Major Tournaments
Nigeria’s Dr. Christian Emeruwa, President of the Security and Safety Division of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), on Thursday, September 18, led an inspection visit to the Grand Stade de Tangier as preparations intensify for upcoming continental and global football events.
Emeruwa, who heads CAF’s continental security architecture, was joined by CAF Secretary General Véron Mosengo-Omba, senior Moroccan officials, and executives of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
The delegation also included managers of operational companies at the Grand Stade and SONARGES executives.
According to Le 360, the Nigerian official expressed satisfaction with the stadium’s facilities after touring key operational areas, including the main control room with its giant surveillance screen, as well as spectator, player, and VIP access zones.
The inspection was bolstered by the presence of Morocco’s top security and administrative officers—the regional commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, officials of the Auxiliary Forces and Civil Protection, the Wali of Security, the governor in charge of Internal Affairs, and representatives of the National Agency for Public Equipment (ANEP).
A technical meeting followed the tour, where engineers presented recent safety and security upgrades. Among the highlights was the planned installation of a FIFA-standard tarpaulin roof to enhance the venue’s compliance with global hosting requirements.
For Nigeria, the spotlight on Dr. Emeruwa underscores the country’s growing influence in African football administration, particularly in the critical areas of safety and security management for CAF competitions.
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Morocco has received 723 high-end buses from Chinese manufacturer Yutong as part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on December 21.
Yutong said on social media that the fleet “has officially rolled off the production line” and will provide “comprehensive transport services and reliable operational support” during the tournament.
An official handover ceremony was held on Friday at the company’s facility in Zhengzhou, Henan province, attended by Moroccan representatives and Yutong executives.
The buses were designed to cope with Morocco’s terrain and climate, including steep slopes, heat and sandstorms. They feature an independent front axle suspension to navigate narrow city streets and Yutong’s in-house “Blue Core System” for fuel efficiency.
The delivery is the largest single order of Chinese buses in Africa. Yutong will station more than 100 technicians in Morocco to provide training, maintenance and round-the-clock support during AFCON.
The deal is part of Morocco’s broader transport strategy, which includes plans to purchase 7,000 new buses by 2030—half of them electric—as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
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