Banyana
Banyana midfielder Portia Modise is among three of Africa’s women football
stars nominated in the CAF African Footballer of the Year category, as a part
of the Glo – CAF Awards.
The
awards’ winners will be announced in Accra on Thursday, 20 December 2012.
Modise,
who has scored 73 goals in her 102 appearances for the Sasol-sponsored Banyana
Banyana, played a key role during the national team’s campaign to the final of
the CAF African Women Championship 2012, held in Equatorial Guinea last month.
“I
am delighted that my performances have been recognised in what has been one of
Banyana Banyana’s busiest and most successful years in the national team’s
history, and must thank Safa, Sasol, my team-mates and all persons who have
supported and encouraged me,” said Modise.
The
Palace Super Falcons (Sasol League Gauteng) player will contest the title along
with 15-year-old Nigerian goal-scoring sensation Chinwendu Ihezuo, who scored 6
goals during the FIFA U-17 women’s World Cup this year, and Equatorial Guinea
playmaker Genoveva Anoman, who scored 6 goals to help her country clinch the
CAF African Women Championship title.
Africa
Cup of Nations champions Zambia are in the running in the National Team of the
Year category along with Cape Verde (highest placed ever CAF and FIFA rankings
of 10 and 51 respectively achieved in 2012), Central African Republic
(qualified for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations eliminating record-holders Egypt
in the qualifiers) and Cote d’ Ivoire (2012 Africa Cup of Nations finalists and
the highest placed African team on the FIFA world rankings).
The
Women’s National Team of the Year award will be decided between Equatorial
Guinea (2012 CAF African Women Championship winners) and the Ghana U-17 side
(bronze medalists at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup bronze medalists knocking
out tournament favourites Japan en route to the semi-finals).
The
Coach of the Year finalists are Zambian mentor Herve Renard (who led Zambia to
the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations title), Al-Ahly coach Hossam El Bady (who
plotted his team’s path to a record 7th CAF Champions League title), Esperance
boss Nabil Maaloul (who took his club to the CAF Champions League final) and AC
Leopards, Tunisia coach Nasreddine Nabi (who led his charges to the first CAF
Confederation Cup trophy).
The
Most Promising Talent section of the awards, will be a battle between Egyptian
U-23 star Mohamed Salah (who scored in three of his team’s four matches at the
London Olympics), Senegalese striker Moussa Monate (who scored in all four of
his country’s matches at the London Olympics) and Kenyan midfielder Victor
Wanyama (who scored a sensational goal to help Celtic beat Spanish Giants
Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League).
The
club of the Year category is also expected to be closely contested with Egyptian
giants Al Ahly, Esperance (Tunisia), AC Leopards (Congo) and Mali’s Djoliba
(CAF Confederation Cup finalists) nominated.
