Sports

Morocco tries Nigeria for size, South Africa battle Zambia as Wafcon enters last four

Published

2 years ago

July 18, 2022

The 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, (Wafcon) has entered the semifinal stage with host Morocco taking on nine times champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria while the Banyana Banyana of South Africa will slug it out with the Copper Ladies of Zambia for a berth in the final.

The Wafcon which kicked off on July 9, has churned out entertaining matches but the semifinal matches which pitches the four teams which have already qualified for the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia next year, will also determine the best female teams on the continent.

Morocco hopes to defeat Nigeria to qualify for the Wafcon final (Photo credit: Goal.com)

Tournament host Morocco will take on nine times champions Nigeria on Monday, July 18, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat while South Africa will take on regional rivals Zambia but beyond the matches, there is a battle for supremacy that will play out in the matches.

Morocco may have won all their four matches in the ongoing competition, while Nigeria suffered a defeat in their first match against South Africa but since that defeat, the Falcons have gone on a rampage, scoring eight goals in the on their way to the semifinals.

The Nigerian team is also the highest African team going by the recent Fifa rankings released in June, coming in as the first in Africa and 39th in the world, while Morocco is ranked eighth in Africa and 77th in the world.

The encounter between the two teams will be the first ever between the West Africans and the North Africans at any level on the international scene.

While Morocco is making its third appearance on the African stage, Nigeria, on the other hand, are participating in its 14 tournament with nine titles to boast of.

The Banyana Banyana of South Africa (Photo Credit: Goal.com)

But before the Morocco/Nigeria match, South Africa and Zambia would have taken center stage in the first match of the day.

The Banyana Banyana may be pundits and fans favourites but the Shepolopolo are no write off themselves and cannot be underestimated.

They have been able to hold their own and qualify for this stage as well as booking a place in the 2023 World Cup and under rating them will be at the peril of the South Africans.

Click to comment

Sports

Nigeria’s Lookman, Zambia’s Banda big winners at 2024 CAF Award

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigerian sensation, Ademola Lookman, has wrapped his footballing year with another win after being declared as the Men’s Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Lookman, who plays for Italian club side Atalanta, was the biggest winner at the star-studded 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech following 12 months with Italian side Atalanta and the Nigerian Super Eagles. He follows in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who claimed the award in 2023.

This is the first time Nigeria has had consecutive men’s award winners since nearly thirty years, when Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) were awarded.

Other top African achievers recognized for their exploits during the event include South Africa’s Ronwen Williams and Zambia’s Barbra Banda. Banda was instrumental in leading Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States. She scored the game-winning goal in the final against Washington Spirit.

Other winners include Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, who won Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row after another impressive season for French side Paris FC.

Sanaâ Mssoudy, a forward for AS FAR and Morocco, received the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award after winning the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Best Player title. Agile box-to-box midfielder, Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco, won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for his outstanding performances for both club and country.

Doha El Madani, a 19-year-old Moroccan and AS FAR player, won the Women’s Young Player of the Year award after scoring six goals in five games to win the Golden Boot at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.

See the full winners list below:

2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)

CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Cote d’Ivoire

CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Nigeria

CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Al Ahly (Egypt)

CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

CAF REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Mutaz Ibrahim (Libya)

CAF REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

CAF ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue (Cameroon)

CAF ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

CAF GOAL OF THE YEAR
Mabululu (Angola)

Sports

Salah wins 6th EPL Player of the Month award

Published

3 days ago

December 15, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Egyptian national team captain and Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah, was on Saturday voted the EA SPORTS Player of the Month for November 2024, making it his sixth POTM diadem in his career.

Salah, who has been in inspiring form this season, has scored and assisted five of Liverpool’s seven goals as the Reds won all three of their Premier League matches to stay top of the table.

Salah’s was November’s highest scorer in the Premier League and the Egyptian is now on 13 goals for the season, level with Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race.

The 32-year-old also has 21 combined goals and assists this season, the most in the Premier League, four more than Cole Palmer, who ranked second in the voting.

This award also puts Salah alongside Premier League legends like Steven Gerrard and Cristiano Ronaldo, who also won the Player of the Month award six times, and is now just one win away from equaling the record of seven awards, held by Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero.