Desiree Ellis is on cloud nine after being crowned the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year for the third time in a row in a glittering ceremony of the 2022 CAF Awards.
The awards were held at Morocco’s impressive Mohamed VI Technical Centre in Sale, Rabat and attended by a gathering of Africa’s top football personalities and football stars.
The Capetonian first won the trophy in 2018, then in 2019 and now in 2022.
This time around she beat off a strong challenge of Morocco’s Reynald Pedros, Bruce Mwape of Zambia and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ Jerry Tshabalala.
Ellis has been instrumental in Banyana Banyana’s resurgence in recent times.
They won the COSAFA Women’s Championship four times in a row – 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 before Tanzania put a brake on the winning streak by lifting the trophy in 2021.
The former Banyana Banyana player also led South Africa to the their maiden FIFA World Cup qualification in France in 2019, and has now also done a double after defeating Tunisia in Morocco.
They are now one match away from winning the continental title for the first time when they face Morocco in the final of the 2022 TotalEnergies Women’s Cup of Nations on Saturday.
Ellis, who was sandwiched between Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Aliou Cisse, was not the only South African winner that went on stage.
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ captain Zanele Nhlapo was on hand to receive the Women’s Club of the Year accolade after they won a treble in 2021 – the domestic Hollywoodbets Super League, the COSAFA Women’s Championship and rounded it off by lifting the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League.
This was a great night for South Africa considering that no player made it to the shortlist of Women’s Player of the Year award, and it was also small consolation for Andile Dlamini and Bambanani Mbane who lost out on the Interclub Player of the Year accolade – which was won by Evelyn Badu.
The Ghanaian made it a double on the night as she also walked away with the Women’s Young Player of the Year award.
Nigerian forward, Asisat Oshoala scooped the Women’s Player of the Year award for a record fifth time – 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022.
The Barcelona player is out injured after being ruled out of the 2022 WAFCON and was unable to help her side go for their 10th title – but she has been in prolific form for her European employers where she finished as the joint top goal scorer.
Mane was named the Men’s Player of the Year, winning the title back to back, while his compatriot Cisse walked away with the Men’s Coach of the Year award after leading the West African country to a historic maiden AFCON title and secured World Cup qualification in Qatar later this year.
The Women’s National Team of the Year award will be handed out on Saturday after the final between Banyana Banyana and Morocco.
The Full List of Winners:
Player of the Year (Men)
Sadio Mane (Senegal and Bayern Munich)
Player of the Year (Women)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and FC Barcelona)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Interclub Player of the Year (Men)
Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt & Al Ahly)
Young Player of the Year (Women)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas Ladies/Alvaldsnes)
Young Player of the Year (Men)
Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal and Tottenham Hotspur)
Coach of the Year (Women)
Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Coach of the Year (Men)
Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
Club of the Year (Women)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Club of the Year (Men)
Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
National Team of the Year (Men)
Senegal
Goal of the Year
Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal & Simba)
National Team of the Year (Women)
Due to the absence of a major women’s competition during the period under review, the Organising Team for the CAF Awards 2022 has reviewed the selection process for this important category. The TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco will be factored as one of the criterion in deciding a winner befitting of the status of the award and women’s football in general. The winner will be announced on 23 July 2022 during the final match of the Women’s AFCON.
By Matlhomola Morake
