By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawi’s top international female player, Tabitha Chawinga has once more been nominated for the prestigious Confederation of African Football (CAF) Player of the Year award from a list of nine other top players.
The Malawian plies her trade with Chinese club Jiangsu Suning alongside Ghanaian star Elizabeth Addo, who has also been nominated.
Tabitha’s teammate Elizabeth Addo (left) also
nominated
According to www.goal.com, the two are reported to be ready to steer their Chinese club to secure their 5th silverware in 2019 as Jiangsu Suning take on Nippon TV Beleza in the maiden AFC Women’s Club Championship on Tuesday.
Jiangsu are the Chinese Women’s Super League champions and will represent China in the first-ever continental club competition in South Korea scheduled to be staged from November 26-30.
High flying Tabitha
Jiangsu, who won their first Chinese title since 2009 this year, are also featuring along with the champions from Japan, Australia and the Korean hosts.
Other top players to contest for the CAF awards include Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga), Ange N’Guessan (Côte d’Ivoire & Tenerife), Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona), Gabrielle Ouguene (Cameroon & CSKA Moscow), Refiloe Jane (South Africa & AC Milan) and Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC).
Ugandan goalkeeper Onyango has made it
None of Tabitha’s male counterparts have made the grade for both the main category as well as in the African Interclub Player of the Year.
There is only one South African Percy Taum, who plays for Club Brugge been nominated in the main category while Uganda and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper captain, Denis Onyango — whom none of the Malawians scored past in last week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Kampala has made it.
Jordan Ayew
Tanzanian Mbwana Samatta of Genk is also in the main category as well as Ghana and Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew (Atlético Madrid) and compatriot Thomas Partey making the cut.
Reports say Ayes’s nomination comes following an impressive start to the 2019/2020 Premier League season and an intriguing campaign in the year with the national team.
Salah eyeing third title
The 28-year-old has netted four goals in twelve games for Crystal Palace in the English top-flight this term and has gone to win two player of the month awards at club level this season alone.
The former Aston Villa, Olympique Marseille and Swansea City star was Ghana’s main man at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations as he bagged two goals for the Black Stars.
Egypt and Liverpool FC key man Mohamed Salah won the prestigious award last year in Dakar, Senegal and has also been nominated.
Aliou Cisse, Senegal coach
Others include Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Cameroon & Paris Saint-Germain), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Arsenal), Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool), Wilfried Zaha (Côte d’Ivoire & Crystal Palace), Youcef Belaili (Algeria & Ahli Jeddah) and Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan (Egypt & Aston Villa).
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Also nominated are Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund), André Onana (Cameroon & Ajax), Ferjani Sassi(Tunisia & Zamalek), Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax), Idrissa Gueye (Senegal & Paris Saint-Germain), Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto), Naby Keita (Guinea & Liverpool), Nicolas Pepe (Côte d’Ivoire & Arsenal), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City) and Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria & Leicester City).
Men’s national team of the year include Nigeria, Madagascar, Algeria, Senegal and Tunisia.
Algeria, currently top Africa in FIFA rankings
Men’s coach of year has Aliou Cisse (Senegal-Senegal), Gernot Rohr (Germany-Nigeria), Djamel Belmadi (Algeria-Algeria), Pitso Mosimane (South Africa-Mamelodi Sundowns), Nicolas Dupuis (France -Madagascar) and Christian Gross (Switzerland-Zamalek).
Ugandan Onyango has also been nominated in the African Interclub Player of the Year including Themba Zwane (South Africa & Mamelodi
Sundowns), Tresor Mputu (DR Congo & TP Mazembe), Walid El Karti (Morocco & Wydad Casablanca) and Youcef Belaïli (Algeria & Esperance).