CAF Awards 2018 : Wilfred Ndidi, Oshoala, Ordega Miss Out; Salah & Kgatlana Win Top Individual Prizes

Published: January 08, 2019

Egypt and Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah on Tuesday evening at a glittering event in Dakar, Senegal scooped the 2018 African Footballer of the Year award for a second consecutive year.

Salah reached the 2018 UEFA Champions League final with Liverpool where fellow nominee Sadio Mane also plays and is one of the key players at Merseyside.

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang was instrumental in Gabon and Arsenal's fantastic campaigns in the year under review.

Before the presentation of awards effectively started on the night, the past African Player of the Year winners were called up to the podium for acknowledgment with Nigeria's Emmanuel Amunike (1994), Nwankwo Kanu (1996 and 1999) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) among the elite winners that also included George Weah, Frederick Kanoute, Samuel Eto'o, Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Riyad Mahrez and Mohamed Salah.

Former Super Falcons striker , Perpetua Nkwocha presented the award of the Women's National Team of the Year to the Super Falcons with the trophy received by Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick.

The women's Coach of the Year prize went to South Africa's Desiree Ellis at the expense of Nigeria's coach, Thomas Dennerby and Cameroon's Joseph Brian Ndoko. Ellis masterminded South Africa's first qualification to the FIFA Women's World Cup - to be hosted by France June 7-July 7, 2019.

The African Youth Player of the Year was won by Morocco's Achraf Hakimi beating off competition by Nigeria's Wilfred Ndidi and Ghana's Frank Kessie.

Thembi Kgatlana scooped the African Women's Footballer of the Year award usurping Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala as the best women's footballer which was also competed for by another Super Falcons star Francesca Ordega.

Kgatlana's strike against Nigeria's Super Falcons at the 2018 AWCON was awarded as the goal of the year

The award ceremony was ably compered by former CNN reporter Isha Sesay.

Izuchukwu Okosi