CAF Awards: Demehin and two other Nigerian players nominated for Young Player of the Year Award

Demehin went off in Nigeria’s 4-0 win against Ethiopia in Abuja during the Olympic qualifying tie where the Falcons won by an aggregate of 5-0.

Super Falcons central defender, Blessing Oluwatosin Demehin, alongside Deborah Abiodun and Ajakaye Esther, have been nominated for the CAF Young Player of the Year Award, Soccernet.ng reports.

Demehin, 21, plies her trade in France, with Stade De Reims Women, and represented Nigeria at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand.

The young defender formed a formidable partnership with Alaves’s Osinachi Ohale as a rock at the back for the Super Falcons, with Paris F.C.’s Chiamaka Nnadozie solidifying the defensive trio.

Together, they helped the Super Falcons get to the round of sixteen of the tournament only to be swept aside by eventual finalists, England after a penalty shoot-out in Melbourne.

They conceded just two goals and kept three clean sheets in four games, and were commended as one of the tidiest teams at the back during the tournament.

The Stade De Reims defender’s calmness and composure on the ball didn’t go unnoticed and she has been nominated by the governing body of football in Africa for the young player of the year award.

Rivers Angels forward, Deborah Abiodun who represented the Super Falcons in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup was nominated alongside 20-year-old Esther Ajakaye who plies her trade with Robo Queens.

Young talents from other African countries were nominated as well. Ghanaian duo, Comfort Yeboah and Mary Amponsah were nominated.

Morocco’s Nesyre El-Chad, South African Thubelihile Shamase, Tanzanian Winifreda Gerald, Ugandan Fuzia Najjemba and Senegalese Apsatou Diallo complete the list of ten players in this category.