The Glo-CAF Awards is on tonight with Chipolopolo skipper and TP Mazembe star Rainford Kalaba and Zesco United carrying Zambian hopes of picking up something.
Kalaba will be going for it at the second count having made the top three in the aftermath of Zambia’s Africa Cup win but lost out on the eventual prize.
The ‘Master’ had a scintillating season in TP Mazembe colours winning the CAF Confederation Cup and racking up goals from midfield along the way.
He is up against CAF Champions League winning players in Mamelodi Sundowns colours who are Ugandan David Onyango and Khama Billiat of Zimbabwe.
Zesco United reached a historic semi final berth in the CAF Champions League and will line up against eventual winners Mamalodi Sundowns and TP Mazembe.
For the top prize Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund will defend his crown alongside Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez who stars for Manchester City with Senegal’s Sadio Mane (Liverpool) closing the list.
Below is the full list of finalists:
African Player of the Year
Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
Riyad MAHREZ (Algeria & Leicester City)
Sadio MANE (Senegal & Liverpool)
African Player of the Year – Based in Africa
Denis ONYANGO (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Khama BILLIAT (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Rainford KALABA (Zambia & TP Mazembe)
Women’s Player of the Year
Asisat OSHOALA (Nigeria & Arsenal Ladies)
Elizabeth ADDO (Ghana & Kvarnsvedensik)
Gabrielle ABOUDI ONGUENE (Cameroon & Rossyanka)
Most Promising Talent
Elia MESCHAK (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)
Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria & Manchester City)
Naby KEITA (Guinea & RB Leipzig)
Youth Player of the Year
Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal)
Eric AYIAH (Ghana and Charity FC)
Sandra OWUSU-ANSAH (Ghana and Supreme Ladies)
Coach of the Year
Florent IBENGE (DR Congo national team)
Pitso MOSIMANE (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Florence OMAGBEMI (Nigeria women’s national team)
Club of the Year
Mamelodi Sundowns
TP Mazembe
Zesco United
National Team of the Year
DR Congo
Senegal
Uganda
Women’s National Team of the Year
Cameroon
Nigeria
South Africa
Referee of the Year
Bakary Papa GASSAMA
Ghead Zaglol GRISHA
Malang DIEDHIOU
Football Leader of the Year
Manuel LOPES NASCIMENTO, President of Guinea Bissau Football Federation
Legend Award
Laurent POKOU, Former player of Cote d’Ivoire
Emilienne MBANGO, Former player of Cameroon
Africa Finest XI
Goalkeeper: Denis ONYANGO (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Defenders: Serge AURIER (Cote d’Ivoire & Paris Saint-Germain), Aymen ABDENNOUR (Tunisia & Valencia), Eric BAILLY (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United), Joyce LOMALISA (DR Congo & AS Vita)
Midfielders: Khama BILLIAT (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns), Rainford KALABA (Zambia & TP Mazembe), Keegan DOLLY (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns),
Forwards: Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund), Sadio MANE (Senegal & Liverpool), Riyad MAHREZ (Algeria & Leicester City)
Substitutes
Aymen MATHLOUTHI (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel), Kalidou KOULIBALY (Senegal & Napoli), Salif COULIBALY (Mali & TP Mazembe), Islam SLIMANI (Algeria & Leicester City), Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma), Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria & Manchester City), Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal)
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