Connect with us

Sports

Oshoala, Mane win African Player of the Year awards

Published

on

 

Nigeria’s Super Falcon and Barcelona striker, Asisat Oshoala has won the 2022 African Women’s Player of the Year award, while Senegal and FC Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane was also named as the winner of the men’s version of the award at the CAF Awards ceremony in Rabat on Thursday night.

The 27-year-old Oshoala picked the award ahead of Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon and Inter Milan) and Zambia international Grace Chanda (Zambia and BIIK Kazygurt), while Mane, 30, picked up his prize ahead of Egypt and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Senegal and Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Oshoala has now become the first African to win this prestigious award for a record five times, overtaking her countrywoman Perpetua Nkwocha who claimed the accolade on four occasions. She is also the fourth Nigerian to land the award, following in the footsteps of Mercy Akide (2001), Nkwocha (2004, 2005, 2010 & 2011) and the incredible Cynthia Uwak (2006 & 2007).

See also  Troops arrest ‘repentant insurgent’ for supplying information to terrorists

It is Mane’s second African Player of the Year title, making him the fifth African after El Hadji Diouf, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, and Salah to win the award in consecutive years since CAF took over the distribution of the award in 1992.

The 2021-22 campaign was arguably Oshoala’s best yet as she played a key role in her Spanish side’s treble charge – the Spanish Women’s Super Cup, Copa de la Reina and the Primera Division.

Although, Oshiala missed some games due to injury, that did not stop her from emerging as the Spanish topflight division’s joint-top scorer after netting 20 goals in 19 league appearances to share the award with Brazilian Geyse Ferreira, who managed the same number of goals in 27 appearances for Madrid CFF.

Barcelona could have won a quadruple, but lost 3-1 to Olympique Lyonnais in the Champions League final at the Juventus Stadium in Turin.

Mane, meanwhile, enjoyed a superb 2021-22 season with Liverpool before heading for Bayern Munich in a €41 million transfer, helping the Reds win the English FA Cup and Carabao Cup as well as playing a crucial role in their Champions League runners-up finish.

See also  How I lured drugged, robbed over 30 women – Alleged serial thief

He scored 16 Premier League goals, two in the FA Cup and five in the Champions League. Overall, he accounted for 33 goals and five assists in the period in review.

On the international scene, Mane propelled Senegal to win their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title, even scoring the crucial penalty that downed Egypt in the final after a 0-0 draw through 120 minutes.

Mane was also named AFCON player of the tournament after contributing three goals and two assists.

His contributions were also key in helping Senegal qualify for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Athletics Open: Amusan wins gold, sets new record in Taiwan

Published

on

By


Nigerian and world women’s 100m hurdles world record holder, Tobi Amusan,on Saturday won the women’s 100m hurdles gold at the New Taipei Athletics Open in Taiwan.

Amusan struck gold ahead of Taiwanese duo Bo Ya Zhang, who settled for second place in 13.17s, and Yi Po-an took third place in 13.37s.

The 29-year-old’s winning time of 12.72s is also a new meeting record, chalking off 0.08s off the previous mark of 12.80s held by Nia Ali, US Olympic silver medalist and former world champion.

Amusan was dominant in the qualifiers for the final, blowing away the field in Heat 2, and continued the form in the final to deliver a swashbuckling race that thrilled the crowd.

She took the lead outright after the fourth hurdle, leaving Zhang behind.

The three-time Senior Africa Athletics Championship winner crossed the finish line before the last competing athlete cleared the final hurdle, to the amazement of screaming spectators.

See also  Full List: Nigeria's Oshoala up for 2022 Ballon D’Or

It is the second consecutive race Amusan will break a meeting record this athletics season, she also broke her meeting record in the women’s 100m hurdles event at the Rabat Diamond League.

She has won three of five races this season, and has not failed to claim a podium finish.

Continue Reading

Sports

Arsenal win EPL title after 22 years

Published

on

By

Arsenal are English Premier League (EPL) champions after Manchester City failed to win at Bournemouth.

Pep Guardiola’s Man City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium to hand Arsenal an unassailable four-point lead with just one match remaining to the end of the season.

The Gunners win the EPL title for the first time in 22 years, since the legendary Invincible side won it in the 2003/04 season.

In the club’s 100th season without relegation from the EPL, the club will celebrate its centenary participation with a league title won on the back of a record 28 EPL wins that surpassed the 26 wins recorded by the Invincibles. The defence prevented opponents from registering a shot on target in six matches, equaling a 23-year league record, and also scored a record 17 goals from corner kicks.

Mikel Arteta’s tough side has led the table for most of the season before a late mini-collapse, and Man City’s late surge in form nearly threatened their title ambition for a second season in a row.

See also  I was home when my house was raided, by Sunday Igboho

City’s late resurgence, however, was initially stunned by Everton in early May and completely collapsed against Bournemouth.

Guardiola’s side visited the Vitality Stadium aware that any result other than a victory would seal Arsenal’s title. But they lacked the execution for the mission after falling to a wonderful strike from Junior Kroupi in the first half.

City were only kept in the game by Bournemouth’s profligacy in front of goal. When Erling Haaland’s equaliser was squeezed home in the eleventh hour of the game, even the most faithful City supporter knew it was too little, too late.

Arsenal and Arteta secured the league earlier than they would have predicted, giving City a prodigious title run-in.

The league triumph is Arteta’s second major title with the North London club since joining in December 2019, adding to the English FA Cup trophy won within six months of his tenure in May 2020.

The 44-year-old Spaniard wins his fourth title overall and can win his fifth — and third major trophy — with victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final next weekend.

See also  Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: inaugurates 45 ministers at presidential villa

Continue Reading

Sports

WrestleMania 42: Nigerian wrestler Oba Femi beats 10-time WWE Champion Brock Lesnar

Published

on

By

Nigerian professional wrestler, Isaac Odugbesan, popularly known as Oba Femi, defeated 10-time WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar, on his WrestleMania debut on Sunday.

The clash, one of the headline matches at WrestleMania 42, ended on a dramatic note as the 27-year-old Nigerian overpowered the veteran.

Lesnar left his wrestling gear in the ring after the match — a gesture widely regarded in professional wrestling as a sign of retirement.

Oba Femi, also known as “The Ruler,” is a former NXT champion and has spent just three months on WWE’s main roster.

The contest began with both wrestlers testing each other’s strength before Lesnar briefly seized control with a series of offensive moves.

However, Femi absorbed the pressure and responded with a dominant display, shifting momentum in his favour.

Lesnar delivered an F5, but Femi quickly recovered, hitting a chokeslam before finishing the contest with his “Fall From Grace” sit-out powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

See also  APC submits senatorial candidates’ names to INEC

The bout quickly became a major talking point on social media, with fans reacting to the upset win.

Femi, a former shot put athlete, is a two-time NXT Champion and a one-time NXT North American Champion.

Born in Lagos, Odugbesan competed in track and field during his school years before signing with WWE in 2021 through its NIL programme.

He went on to win the 2023 NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament and the 2024 Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge.

During the WrestleMania Sunday post-show, Femi sent a message to Roman Reigns, popularly known as the “Original Tribal Chief,” drawing a loud reaction from fans as he hinted at a possible title challenge before the end of the year.

Continue Reading

Trending News