Harambee Starlets on CAF awards nominees list

Kenya’s Harambee Starlets on Monday registered their name in the nominations for the Women National Team of the year by the Confederation of African Football.

Kenya will contest the award alongside the Ghana U-20 team, Nigeria U-20, South Africa and Zimbabwe, with the winners being decided by votes from the members of the Caf Technical and Development Committee, Caf media experts’ panel and independent media and TV consultants.

Starlets made a maiden appearance in the 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations in Cameroon last year, bowing out at the first round at the hands of Nigeria, Mali, and Ghana.

The team then made a guest appearance at the COSAFA Women Championship held in Zimbabwe in September 2017, finishing fourth behind South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia

Harambee Starlets is set to take on Uganda in an Africa Women Cup of Nations Qualifier, with the first leg match slated for February 26, 2018.

However, non of the Starlets members made the five-women list of the nominees for the continent’s player of the yaer, which has little known Tabitha Chawinga of Malawi.

Nominees full list:

Women’s Player of the Year

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dalian Quanjian), Chrestina Kgatlana (South Africa & UWC Ladies), Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene(Cameroon & CSKA Moscow), Rutendo Makore (Zimbabwe & Black Rhinos) and Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi)

Women’s National Team of the Year

Ghana U-20, Kenya, Nigeria U-20, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Coach of the Year

Gernot Rohr (Nigeria), Hector Cuper (Egypt), Hugo Broos (Cameroon), L’Hussein Amoutta (Wydad Athletic Club) and Mihayo Kazembe (TP Mazembe)

National Team of the Year

Cameroon, Egypt, Mali U-17, Nigeria and Zambia U-20

Club of the Year

Al Ahly, Mbabane Swallows, SuperSport United, TP Mazembe and Wydad Athletic Club

Youth Player of the Year

Eric Ayiah (Ghana & Charity Stars), Krepin Diatta (Senegal &Sarpsborg), Luther Singh (South Africa & Braga), Patson Daka (Zambia & Liefering) and Salam Giddou (Mali & Guidars)

Referee of the Year

Bamlak Tessema (Ethiopia), Ghead Grisha (Egypt), Janny Sikazwe (Zambia), Malang Diedhiou (Senegal), Mehdi Abid Charef (Algeria) and Papa Bakary Gassama (Gambia)