BANYANA Banyana goalkeepers Andile Dlamini, centre, and Kaylin Swart, right, going head-to-head for Cosafa Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year with their teammate Regirl Ngobeni at the back during training. | BackpagePix
BAFANA Bafana playmaker Percy Tau and the Mamelodi Sundowns’ goal poacher Peter Shalulile are in line for the prestigious men’s Player of the Year prize at the inaugural Cosafa Awards function in Johannesburg next Friday.
The awards will be for players’ performances during the year 2023 (January 1 to December 31) for their clubs and national teams. Initially, the function was scheduled for April in Durban but it was postponed because it clashed with a CAF (Confederation of African Football) meeting.
Shalulile finished joint top-scorer in the South African League in the 2022/23 season and helped Sundowns to an unprecedented sixth DStv Premiership championship in a row. He scored 25 goals in 2023 for Sundowns across all competitions.
He was also at the forefront for the club when they won the inaugural African Football League and led Namibia to qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Tau lifted the 2023 CAF Champions League with Al Ahly and helped the team to the 2022/23 domestic league title. He became an important scorer and creator of goals for Ahly. Also helped South Africa to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations’ qualification.
He scored against Urawa Reds as Al Ahly took third place at the Fifa Club World Cup.
Lameck Banda from Lecce FC and Zambia is the third nominee in this category. He is the first ever Zambian to feature in a Serie A match. He is growing in stature at his club where he became more influential as the year went on.
He helped his country to qualify for the 2023 Afcon.
Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena, and outspoken Jwaneng Galaxy boss, Morena Ramoreboli, have earned nominations for the ‘Men’s Coach of the Year’ award.
They will be joined by Namibia’s Collin Benjamin.
Mokwena is the favourite since he was instrumental in Sundowns winning their sixth consecutive DStv domestic league title and the AFL trophy. Sundowns enjoyed an undefeated streak throughout 2023, overseeing 31 league encounters and 65 matches overall with remarkable tactical prowess.
The three nominees for the Women’s Coach of the Year are South Africa women’s national squad coach Desiree Ellis, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ coach Jerry Tshabalala, and Zambia’s women’s national squad coach Bruce Mwape.
Ellis led South Africa to a historic round of 16 place at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and qualified them for the defence of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) title that they won in 2022.
She also advanced the side to the final round of qualifiers for the Olympic Games in Paris later this year.
Mwape guided Zambia at their first ever Wafcon and although they lost their first two games 5-0, they bounced back with a historic 3-1 win over Costa Rica in their final match.
He has also led them to qualification for the next Wafcon and the final round of qualifiers for the Olympic Games in Paris later this year.
Tshabalala led Sundowns Ladies to the finals of the CAF Women’s Champions League and clinched the showpiece’s 2023 title by winning all matches in Ivory Coast without conceding a single goal.
Sundowns Ladies clinched the treble with victory in the Cosafa Women’s Champions League and their domestic Super League.
The full list of nominees:
Men’s Player of the Year: Lameck Banda (Lecce & Zambia); Peter Shalulile (Mamelodi Sundowns & Namibia); Percy Tau (Al Ahly & South Africa).
Women’s Player of the Year: Barbra Banda (Shanghai Shengli & Zambia); Tabitha Chawinga (Inter Milan/Paris St Germain & Malawi); Racheal Kundananji (Madrid FC & Zambia).
Men’s Coach of the Year: Collin Benjamin (Namibia); Morena Ramoreboli (Jwaneng Galaxy); Rulani Mokwena (Mamelodi Sundowns).
Women’s Coach of the Year: Desiree Ellis (South Africa); Bruce Mwape (Zambia); Jerry Tshabalala (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies).
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa); Lawrence Mulenga (Power Dynamos & Zambia); Lloyd Kazapua (Chippa United & Namibia).
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Kaylin Swart (JvW FC & South Africa); Mercy Sikelo (Ntopwa & Malawi); Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa).
Men’s Most Promising Player: Gift Mphande (Atletico Lusaka/Hapoel Rishon LeZion & Zambia); Thapelo Maseko (SuperSport United/Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa); Miguel Chaiwa (Young Boys & Zambia).
Women’s Most Promising Player: Rose Kadzere (Ascent Academy & Malawi); Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Academy & Malawi); Esther Banda (Green Buffaloes & Zambia).
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