Toure wins second straight African player of year prize

ACCRA - Agence France-Presse

Toure was instrumental in City’s landing its first Premier League title since 1968. EPA photo

Ivorian Yaya Toure won Africa’s top football honor on Dec. 20, beating out countryman Didier Drogba and Alexandre Song of Cameroon for the Confederation of African Football player of the year award.
The Manchester City player claimed the prize for the second consecutive year, capping a season where he helped guide his club to the English Premier League title, their first in 44 years.

Zambia was named Africa’s national football side of the year at the awards, which also saw a series of honors going to Egypt.

Zambia’s narrow win over powerhouse Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations final earlier this year was the key achievement that moved judges to honor it as the continent’s top team.

Zambia’s Coach Herve Renard, a Frenchman credited with playing a key role in improving the side, was named coach of the year at the ceremony in Ghana’s capital.

The award for the top women’s team went to Equatorial Guinea, which hosted and won the eighth African women’s championship.

Equatorial Guinea’s Genoveva Anoman was honored as the continent’s top female footballer, after scoring six goals in the cup.

It was a night full of awards for Egypt, with Cairo-based Al-Ahly named as club of the year after securing its seventh CAF Champions League crown.

The club’s star Mohamed Aboutreika took home the award for the best player based in Africa.
Egypt’s Mohamed Salah was named the most promising emerging talent, while Mahmoud El-Gohary won a Legend award.

Former Galatasaray defender Rigobert Song, who has won two African championships with Cameroon, was also named an African football Legend.