Riyad Mahrez Is African Player Of The Year, Oshoala, Iwobi, Iheanacho Also Shine

Source: thewillnigeria.com

BEVERLY HILLS, January 05, (THEWILL) – Algeria and Leicester City player, Riyad Mahrez, has been named the African Player of the Year for 2016 award ahead of last year’s winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Borussia Dortmund and Sadio Mane of Senegal and Liverpool.

Mahrez, who played a pivotal part in Leicester’s shock run to winning the English Premier League last season, had already been named PFA players’ player of the year and BBC African player of the year.

He joins Rabah Madjer (1987) and Lakhdar Belloumi (1981) as the Algerians to have won the award.

South African club, Mamelodi Sundowns were named the African Team of the Year after winning the Absa Premiership title and the CAF Champions League and representing the continent at the Club World Cup in Japan while the coach, 52-year-old Pitso Mosimane was named Coach of the Year.

The team’s Ugandan goalkeeper, Denis Onyango was named African Player of the Year (Based in Africa) beating Zimbabwean teammate Khama Billiat and Zambian, Rainford Kalaba (TP Mazembe).

Nigerian striker, Kelechi Iheanacho was named as the Most Promising Talent on the continent while Alex Iwobi was named the youth player of the year.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons were named Women's National Team of the Year for their record eighth title win in Cameroon while Asisat Oshoala who was named Women's Player of the Year after finishing the tournament with six goals.

The CAF awards ceremony took place in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Thursday with President Muhammadu Buhari bagging the CAF Platinum Award.

The ceremony also featured musical performances by Nigerian music stars such as Femi Kuti, Flavour, Omawunmi, Reekado Banks; Tanzania’s Diamond Plantinumz and the Muffins, a South African band.