ONYANGO SCOOPS TOP AWARD Downs keeper dedicates accolade to his teammates
Africa star kits down for award ceremony
MAMELODI Sundowns goalkeeper Dennis Onyango has dedicated his African Player of the Year based in Africa award to his club and national teammates and fans.
Onyango‚ who helped the Brazilians to Caf Champions League glory and the Ugandan national team to qualify for the Caf Cup of Nations‚ said he would not have been rewarded with the award if it was not for his teammates and support from the fans.
Speaking yesterday from Nigeria‚ where the awards were held the night before‚ Onyango thanked the Sundowns and Ugandan supporters for having backed him and his teammates last year.
“It is not easy to win a top award like this‚ especially as a goalkeeper, but I want to thank my teammates at Sundowns and the Cranes of Uganda and the fans.
“It is a great achievement but not a one-man job because I was surrounded by teammates‚ coaches‚ administrators and the supporters backed us through thick and thin‚” he said.
Onyango said being named the best local player on the continent was just reward for the amount of hard work that he put during the season.
“This has been a memorable my country Uganda to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in a long time‚” he said.
Looking ahead of the Cup of Nations‚ where Uganda are in Group D with Togo‚ Mali and Egypt‚ Onyango said they will be underdogs but anything is possible.
“We did well by qualifying for the tournament but we know that we are underdogs and we must stay fully focused to qualify for the next round which is not going to be easy‚” he said.
Khama Billiat‚ who was the runner-up in the category won by Onyango‚ congratulated his club teammate and also thanked the fans for their support in the season.
“For me‚ personally‚ being nominated is good enough because it shows that my work is recognised. Onyango was the best of the lot this season for both club and country‚ and he fully deserves the recognition‚” he said.
Billiat is also in the Cup of Nations with the Warriors of Zimbabwe and said he was looking forward to the experience.
Zimbabwe are in a tough group against Algeria‚ Tunisia and Senegal but Billiat said they have what it takes to cause an upset and qualify for the next round.
“We had a good qualifying stage and we are looking forward to the tournament.” — TMG Sport LOST luggage left Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang under-dressed at African football’s glitzy annual award ceremony, organisers said yesterday.
Aubameyang jetted in to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, as the reigning Confederation of African Football (CAF) footballer of the year.
But while his peers and dignitaries were dressed formally, the 27-year-old Gabon forward was forced to attend the ceremony in casual clothing, including a T-shirt and baseball cap.
The Gabon skipper took to social media to explain why he did not dress up.
“That moment when you just arrive for the ceremony of African player of the year and they lost our baggage!! so that’s how we dress tonight,” he wrote on Instagram.
Leicester City and Algeria forward Riyad Mahrez won the player of the year award, ahead of Aubameyang and Liverpool’s Senegalese international Sadio Mane.
Both Mahrez and Mane wore suits. — AFP