Edo Queens’ Emem Essien and Monle Oyono have been nominated for the CAF Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Wednesday.
Forward Essien and goalkeeper Oyono have both been impressive for Edo Queens as they clinched the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) Premiership in the 2023-24 season.
The Benin State-based club won the title for the first time after finishing top of the Super Six table, securing a historic ticket to the 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League (CAFWCL) as Nigeria’s sole representative.
At the CAFWCL in Morocco, Essien has come in clutch for the Nigerian champions, scoring three goals in four games as they just fell short in the semifinals. She scored in their opener against CBE FC, before adding one apiece against Mamelodi Sundowns and TP Mazembe.
Oyono, on the other hand, has kept two clean sheets in four games in the club continental competition, managing shut-outs against CBE amd Masar in the group stages.
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻) – 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘀#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/0vO1W22xIF
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) November 20, 2024
Essien and Oyono will battle for the honour along with eight others like Sandrine Niyonkuru and Shadia Nankya (FC Masar); Merveille Nanguji and Lacho Flora Marta (TP Mazembe); Doha El Madani, Sanaa Mssoudy and Khadija Er-Rmichi (AS FAR); and Amogelang Motau (University of the Western Cape).
Edo Queens have also been nominated for the CAF Women’s Club of the Year award alongside TP Mazembe, AS FAR, Mamelodi Sundowns, University of the Western Cape, CBE FC, FC Masar, and Aigles de la Medina.
𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻) – 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘀#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/UFRpkEpdmf
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) November 20, 2024
Meanwhile, the Nigerian duo of Chiamaka Okwuchukwu and Flourish Sabastine are up for the Young Player of the Year award.
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻) – 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 #CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/oxY8zNwQir
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) November 20, 2024
The 2024 CAF Awards will be held in Marrakech, Morocco, on December 16, and will consider performances from the period within January 2024 and October 2024.
Full Women’s nomination shortlist for 2024 CAF Awards
Interclub Player of the Year
Emem Essien (Edo Queens)
Monle Oyono (Edo Queens)
Sandrine Niyonkuru (FC Masar)
Shadia Nankya (FC Masar)
Merveille Nanguji (TP Mazembe)
Lacho Flora Marta (TP Mazembe)
Doha El Madani (AS FAR)
Sanaa Mssoudy (AS FAR)
Khadija Er-Rmichi (AS FAR)
Amogelang Motau (University of the Western Cape)
Club of the Year
Edo Queens (Nigeria)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
AS FAR (Morocco)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
University of the Western Cape (South Africa)
CBE FC (Ethiopia)
FC Masar (Egypt)
Aigles de la Medina (Senegal)
Young Player of the Year
Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Nigeria)
Flourish Sabastine (Nigeria)
Habiba Sabry (Egypt)
Stella Nyamekye (Ghana)
Cathy Biya (Cameroon)
Naomi Eto (Cameroon)
Valerie Nekesa (Kenya)
Doha El Madani (Morocco)
Lina Mokhtar Jamai (Morocco)
Nthabiseng Majiya (South Africa)
