Oshoala
Nigeria and Barcelona prodigy, Asisat Oshoala, has been named the 2022 African Women’s Player of the Year at the CAF awards ceremony in Rabat on Thursday.
The talismanic striker becomes the first player to win the CAF award for a record fifth time, overtaking Perpetua Nkwocha who claimed the accolade on four occasions.
The 27-year-old picked the award ahead of Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon and Inter Milan) and Zambia international Grace Chanda (Zambia and BIIK Kazygurt).
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, she missed a couple of matches due to injury, that did not stop her from emerging as league 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.
Impressively, she scored a hat-trick against Real Betis and a double versus Real Sociedad, Valencia, Villarreal, and Real Betis.
In the Copa de la Reina, she scored in her only appearance in the tournament against Real Madrid.
Her side could have won a quadruple, but Barcelona lost 3-1 to Olympique Lyonnais at the Juventus Stadium in Turin.
Oshoala is the fourth Nigerian to land the women’s version of the award, following in the footsteps of Mercy Akide (2001), Nkwocha (2004, 2005, 2010 & 2011) and Cynthia Uwak (2006 & 2007).
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