Super Falcons Star and Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala defeated Grace Chanda (Zambia/BIIK Kazygurt) and Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon/Inter Milan) to win her fifth Conferation African Football Awards (CAF) at a ceremony in Rabat, Morocco on Thursday.
Oshoala the only Nigerian nominee at the 2022 CAF awards after Falcons’ coach Randy Waldrum, who was originally nominated for Coach of The Year, was dropped from the final shortlist list along with Monday Gift, and Super Eagles duo Moses Simon and Akinkunmi Amoo.
Oshoala had equaled countrywoman Perpetua Nkwocha’s fourth CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award at the 2019 Awards Gala, but today she became the sole record holder for the most award wins, thus stamping her authority on the continent.
Despite being injury-laden for a large part of last season (three months), Oshoala finished top scorer in the Liga Iberdrola with 20 goals in 19 appearances to become the first African to win the Pichichi award in Spain.
Her Barcelona team also achieved the incredible feat of winning all 30 league games in their domestic division with Oshoala’s Golden Boot-winning goals contributing largely to the feat.
Although Barcelona Femeni fell to defeat in the Champions League final, Oshoala scored in the 4-0 win against Real Madrid to qualify for the final of the Spanish Cup, which they won to complete the domestic treble after winning the Supercopa.
Oshoala was born into a Muslim family on the 9th of October, 1994. In the Ikorodu suburb of Lagos State. Despite being born and bred in Ikorodu, she started her basic football in Mushin, and this was in total defiance to the stand of her parents.
But nevertheless, Asisat stood her ground and pursued a career in football.
Considering her achievements so far in the round leather game, it’s safe to say that the parents who refused to let Asisat play soccer, would now be proud a parents of a football star.
Asisat had her primary school education at Air Force Primary School in Victoria Island before she moved to Aunty Ayo International School in Ikoyi {Also in Lagos} for her secondary school education, and graduated in 2009.
But right after her Secondary school education, she started her career at Nigerian Lower Division side FC Robo, she was there from 2009 to 2013 before moving to Rivers Angels.
At Rivers Angels, Asisat broke into limelight when she represented Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada. She emerged as the top scorer with seven goals and was named the Player of the Tournament.
Her performance helped Nigeria to finish the tournament as the runner-up.
After her stellar performance in Canada, she was named best player and second top goalscorer with the Super Falcons team who won the 2014 African Women’s Championship.
She was not part of the Falcons’ qualifying campaign for the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, while at the maiden edition of the Aisha Buhari Cup last year, she was unable to replicate her club form in the green and white.
Oshoala bowed out early from the WAFCON in Morocco after suffering an ankle injury in the opening day 2-1 defeat to Banyana.
Like this:
Like Loading...