SPORTS
Osimhen, 9 others Listed for Consideration by CAF for Player of Year Award
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Friday revealed the names of players listed for consideration in the men’s categories for the CAF Awards 2023.
Super Eagles and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen and nine other players, including last year’s winner Sadio Mane of Senegal, remain in contention for the topmost Player of the Year award.
The InterClub Player of the Year award has 10 contenders.
Awards for Goalkeeper of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year and Club of the Year have five each.
The ultimate winner of each category will be decided after votes from a voting panel.
The panel consists of CAF Technical Committee members, media professionals, Head Coaches and Captains of Member-Associations and clubs involved in the group stages of the InterClub competitions.
The Awards Gala will take place on Dec. 11 at the Palais des Congrès, Movenpick in Marrakech, Morocco.
Below are the lists of nominees:
Player of the Year (Men)
- Riyad Mahrez (Algeria, Al Ahli)
- Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon, SSC Napoli)
- Vincent Aboubacar (Cameroon, Besiktas)
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool)
- Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain)
- Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco, Manchester United)
- Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal)
- Youssef En-Nesyri (Morocco, Sevilla)
- Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, SSC Napoli)
- Sadio Mane (Senegal, Al Nassr)
Goalkeeper of the Year (Men)
- Mohamed ElShenawy (Egypt, Al Ahly)
- Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal)
- Andre Onana (Cameroon, Manchester United)
- Ronwen Williams (Sout Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
- Edouard Mendy (Senegal, Al Ahli)
InterClub Player of the Year (Men)
- Aymen Mahious (Algeria, USM Alger/Yverdon-Sport)
- Zineddine Belaid (Algeria, USM Alger)
- Fiston Mayele (DR Congo, Young Africans/Pyramids)
- Mahmoud Abdel Moneim “Kahraba” (Egypt, Al Ahly)
- Mohamed ElShenawy (Egypt, Al Ahly)
- Yahia Attiyat Allah (Morocco, Wydad Club Athletic)
- Yahya Jabrane (Morocco, Wydad Athletic Club)
- Peter Shalulile (Namibia, Mamelodi Sundowns)
- Percy Tau (South Africa, Al Ahly)
- Ali Maaloul (Tunisia, Al Ahly)
Young Player of the Year (Under-21) (Men)
- Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso, Bournemouth)
- Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Morocco, Real Betis)
- Bilal El Khannous (Morocco, KRC Genk)
- Lamine Camara (Senegal, Generation Foot/Metz)
- Amara Diouf (Senegal, Generation Foot)
Coach of the Year (Men)
- Abdelhak Benchikha (USM Alger)
- Marcel Koller (Al Ahly)
- Tom Saintfiet (The Gambia)
- Walid Regragui (Morocco)
- Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
National Team of the Year (Men)
- The Gambia
- Equatorial Guinea
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Senegal
Club of the Year (Men)
- USM Alger (Algeria)
- Al Ahly (Egypt)
- Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
- Young Africans (Tanzania)
(NAN)
SPORTS
2028 Olympic Games Qualifier: Super Falcons to Discover Opponents Today
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will find out their opponents for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games women’s football qualifiers this week.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Tuesday that the draw for the African qualifying series will take place on Wednesday at its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12 noon and will be streamed live on CAF TV.
A total of 35 national teams, including Super Falcons will participate in the qualifiers, which will be played over five rounds.
The other countries are; Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea.
Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are the other countries that will take part in the qualifiers.
Two teams will earn Africa’s slots at the women’s football tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons and Copper Queens of Zambia represented the continent at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
SPORTS
LBHF Tournament Honours Edun at 70 with Thrilling Bouts
The Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame (LBHF) monthly tournament returns on Saturday, celebrating founder Wale Edun’s 70th birthday marked on Monday, April 20.
“This special edition honours our founder’s enduring legacy,” said Mr David Mohamed, LBHF Director, in a statement issued on Thursday.
The tournament will be held at Agege Stadium in Lagos State.
Founded in 2010 by Edun, LBHF is widely regarded as Nigeria’s and Africa’s longest-running amateur boxing tournament.
Until Tuesday, Edun was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, before resigning his post on health grounds.
“The initiative provides a platform for young boxers to train and gain exposure,” Mohamed said, noting its role in grassroots boxing development.
As a non-profit organisation, LBHF has nurtured talents who have achieved national and international success.
“This edition doubles as a tribute to Edun, whose vision has shaped many boxing careers,” Mohamed added.
Action begins with Fatade Juwon facing Abiodun Yusuf in the men’s 50kg category.
Tajudeen Yekini will then confront Adele Faruq in the 55kg division.
In the men’s 60kg category, Tajudeen Rasheed meets Ogunleye Aliazeem, while Mosuru Adedeji battles Innocent Prosper.
Exhibition bouts will feature Princess Adeola against Zainab Ibrahim in the women’s 28kg category, and Adeseye Kalid versus Saliu Razak in the men’s 34kg division.
The sole women’s main-card clash will see Oluwatoyin Amirat face Aminashaun Raheemo in the 48kg division.
Wahab Ramadan will meet Lawal Opeyemi in the men’s 70kg bout, before Makinde Mohamed faces Ibadiaro Idris in the 75kg category.
The event concludes with Lawal Mohammed against Oluwapo Oluwaseun in the men’s 80kg title bout.
Over the years, LBHF has developed talents like Taiwo “Esepo” Agbaje, producing fighters who have represented Nigeria with distinction.
“This celebration reinforces our mission to sustain boxing as a pathway for young Nigerians,” Mohamed said.
SPORTS
Man City, Inter, Chelsea, Juventus Face Off in Hong Kong for Preseason
English and Italian football giants Manchester City, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Juventus will square up for pre-season friendlies in Hong Kong in August, the clubs announced yesterday.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, currently arm-wrestling Arsenal for the Premier League title, will take on Inter Milan on Saturday, August 1, spearheaded by their Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland.
The match will kick off the “Hong Kong Football Festival” at the city’s futuristic 50,000-seat Kai Tak stadium.
The gleaming arena opened a year ago, featuring a roof that can be closed and air-conditioning to combat the fierce summer heat and humidity in Hong Kong.
Chelsea will play Juventus on Wednesday August 5 to round off the mini-tournament.

