Despite a season blighted by injuries, Nigeria international Asisat Oshoala fended off competition from Cameroon’s Ajara Nchout Njoya and Zambia’s Grace Chanda to claim the 2022 CAF Women’s Player of the Year.
The 2021/22 season was arguably the best yet for the former Super Falcons captain as she played a key role in her club’s domestic treble charge winning the Spanish Women’s Super Cup, Copa de la Reina, and the Primera Division.
Her goals helped Barcelona to retain their Spanish League title last season, finishing as the league’s joint top scorer having 20 goals in 19 league games with Brazilian Geyse Ferreira, who managed the same number of goals in 27 appearances for Madrid CFF.
The Super Falcons star then became the first Nigerian and first African to win the Women’s Spanish Primera Division Pichichi Award.
The Nigerian international also scored four goals in the UEFA Women’s Champions League to help Barcelona reach the final.
On the international scene, she contributed little as she was ruled out of the qualifier of the women’s nations cup due to injury. She also had to pull out of the ongoing 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after the first game against South Africa due to a reoccurring injury. Therefore, she did not score a single goal for the Super Falcons in the period under review.
However, the 27-year-old has now broken an African record to become the first African to win this prestigious award for a record five times, overtaking Perpetua Nkwocha, Samuel Eto’o, and Yaya Toure who have all claimed the accolade on four occasions.
MOLATsportgist 