Connect with us

Football

Simba’s Sakho acrobatic strike is Africa’s goal of the year

  • Sakho scored in the 3-1 win over Asec Mimosas in the CAF Confederation Cup
  • He was the only East African country player nominated
  • El Shanawy wins Interclub player of the year

Simba’s Senegalese forward Pape Ousmane Sakho’s superb bicycle kick in their CAF Confederations Cup match against Asec Mimosas in Dar es Salaam has been voted as the goal of the year at the 2022 CAF Awards staged in rabat, Morocco on Thursday.

Sakho rose brilliantly to volley in the ball with an acrobatic bicycle kick after 12 minutes as Simba won the match 3-1.

His strike beat off efforts from Gabadinho Mhango of Malawi and Wydad’s Zouhair El Moutaraji. Mhango scored a stunner from range for Malawi during their Africa Cup of Nations match against Morocco in Yaounde.

El Moutaraji was meanwhile nominated for another superb belter from range, Wydad Athletic Club’s second goal against Al Ahly in the final of the CAF Champions League.

El Shenawy Clubs’ best

Meanwhile in the Interclub player of the year category, Al Ahly skipper Mohamed Elshenawy was named winner, beating off competition from his teammate Aliou Dieng and Wydad Athletic’s Achraf Dari.

Shenawy played a crucial role as Ahly reached their third consecutive Champions League final, where they lost to Wydad.

Ghanaian Evelyn Badu won the corresponding female award after her imperious performance at the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League where she was named player of the tournament after helping Hasacas Ladies reach the final, where they lost to Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies.

Badu was also top scorer of the tournament with five goals. To the crown, she beat former Hasacas teammate Doris Boaduwaa and Mamelodi Sundowns and Banyana goalkeeper Andile Dlamini.

Badu, who has since reaped the fruits of her labor to make her first professional move abroad after signing for Norwegian club Avaldsnes IL finished off the night with two awards after also being named the young female player of the year.

Matar Sarr young player of the year

In the corresponding men’s award, Senegal’s Pape Matar Sarr beat off competition from Tunisia’s Hanibal Mejbri and Ivory Coast’s Karim Konate to clinch the crown.

Sarr was a crucial piece of the Senegalese jigsaw as they clinched the AFCON title for the first time ever.

In the team category, Wydad and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies won the men and women’s clubs of the tear while African champions Senegal clinched the national team of the year category.

Wydad dethroned Ahly as Africa Club champions and also topped that up with winning the Moroccan Botola Pro. Sundowns Ladies meanwhile won the inaugural edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League.

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

More in Football

Exit mobile version