Ghana Under-17 women’s sensation Mukarama Abdulai has emerged among 15 nominees to vie for the Women’s African player of the Year category at the 2018 Caf Awards in Dakar, Senegal.
The Black Maidens captain has had a remarkable spell over the year under review – beginning with 12 goals in four qualifying games to the 2018 Fifa U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay.
Abdulai continued to show her prowess at the tournament proper with a record seven goals before Ghana’s campaign ended with a quarterfinal penalty shootout heartbreak against Mexico last Sunday.
The 16-year-old Northern Ladies striker comes up against top senior players on the continent including compatriots Elizabeth Addo and Portia Boakye who feature for the senior women’s national team, the Black Queens.
Reigning women’s player of the year, Asisat Oshoala made the cut alongside 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Most Valuable Player favourite Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana of South Africa.
The list is expected to be pruned down to a final shortlist of three before the awards night on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.
Women’s African player of the year
- Abdulai Mukarama (Ghana & Northern Ladies)
- Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Dilian Quanjian)
- Bassira Toure (Mali & AS Mande)
- Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Houston Dash)
- Desire Oparanozia (Nigeria & Guingamp)
- Elizabeth Addo (Ghana & Seattle Reign)
- Francisca Ordega (Nigeria & Washington Spirit)
- Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (Cameroon & CSKA Moskow)
- Gaelle Enganamouit (Cameroon & Avaldenes)
- Janine Van Wyk (South Africa & Houston Dash)
- Marlyse Ngo Ndoumbouk (Cameroon & Nancy-Lorraine)
- Onome Ebi (Nigeria & Hekan Huisanhang)
- Portia Boakye (Ghana & Djurgardens)
- Raissa Feudjio (Cameroon & Aland United)
- Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi & Jiangsu Suning)
