30 November 2018– Things just get better every time for the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana after they were nominated in three categories at the CAF Awards 2018.

The announcement of the nominations comes just a day before they face Nigeria in the final of the 2018 Women’s AFCON. The match will take place on Saturday, 1 December at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana. Kickoff is at 16h00 local time (18h00 SA time). Both nations have already secured their tickets to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

Captain of the South African Senior Women’s National Team, Janine van Wyk, has been nominated alongside striker Thembi Kgatlana in the African Women’s Player of the Year cagetories. Kgatlana is the current leading goal scorer in the 2018 Women’s AFCON which comes to an end on Saturday, 1 December 2018 in Ghana. She has already scored five goals in four matches, and won three consecutive Woman of the Match accolades. She was also a nominee in the same category last year.

Van Wyk, who has led Banyana Banyana to the World Cup qualification as captain, also returns for the second bite at the cherry in this award as she was nominated in 2016. She was recently named in the CAF top players for the 2018 Women’s AFCON.

After a great run in the last few months, South Africa has again been nominated in the CAF Women’s National Team of Year, an award they won early this year. Banyana Banyana have been in fine form – winning back to back COSAFA Women’s Championship, qualifying for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history and also making the final of the 2018 Women’s AFCON in their 12^thappearance in the tournament. They also made the final in 2000, 2008, 2012.

Banyana Banyana will battle it out with Cameroon (2018 Women’s AFCON semi-finalists), Ghana, Mali (2018 Women’s AFCON semi-finalists) and Nigeria (2018 Women’s AFCON finalists)

Leading the team through during these times is Desiree Ellis, whose efforts have not gone unnoticed after she was nominated in the Coach of the Year category. Ellis is the only person to win the COSAFA Women’s Championship as both player and coach. The former Banyana Banyana captain is also the first person to qualify the South African Senior Women’s National Team to a FIFA World Cup.

She now stands on brink of turning another history page of seeing Banyana Banyana lift their first ever Women’s AFCON.

Ellis faces stiff battle from Bruce Mwape (Zambia), Joseph Brian Ndoko (Cameroon), Saloum Houssein (Mali), Thomas Dennerby (Nigeria).

The Awards Gala will be held on Tuesday, 8 January 2019 in Dakar, Senegal.

The winners for the African Player of the Year and Women’s Player of the Year will be decided by the following:

1. 
   CAF Technical & Development Committee
   2. Media Experts, Legends, Coaches of the quarter-finalists of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup
   3. Coaches and Captains of the national teams of the 54 Member Associations.

 

Other categories, namely, Youth Player of the Year, Men’s Coach of the Year, Women’s Coach of the Year, Men’s National Team of the Year and Women’s National Team of the Year will be elected by:

1. 
   CAF Technical & Development Committee
   2. Media Experts, Legends, Coaches of the quarter-finalists of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup
   
   HERE ARE THE NOMINEES:

 

Women’s African player of the Year

Abdulai Mukarama (Ghana & Northern Ladies)

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dilian Quanjian)

Bassira Toure (Mali & AS Mande)

Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Houston Dash)

Desire Oparanozia (Nigeria & Guingamp)

Elizabeth Addo (Ghana & Seattle Reign)

Francisca Ordega (Nigeria & Washington Spirit)

Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (Cameroon & CSKA Moscow)

Gaelle Enganamouit (Cameroon & Avaldenes)

Janine Van Wyk (South Africa & Houston Dash)

Marlyse Ngo Ndoumbouk (Cameroon & Nancy-Lorraine)

Onome Ebi (Nigeria & Hekan Huisanhang)

Portia Boakye (Ghana & Djurgardens)

Raissa Feudjio (Cameroon & Aland United)

Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi & Jiangsu Suning)

 

Women’s Coach of the Year

Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

Bruce Mwape (Zambia)

Joseph Brian Ndoko (Cameroon)

Saloum Houssein (Mali)

Thomas Dennerby (Nigeria)

Women’s National Team of the Year

South Africa

Cameroon

Ghana

Mali

Nigeria