South Africa-based Flames talisman Gabadinho Mhango’s stunner against the Atlas Lions of Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Cameroon in January, has been nominated for the 2022 CAF Awards Goal of the Year.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday evening announced 10 goals which have made the cut.
Seventy percent of the winning goal will be determined through fans’ votes on http://cafawards2022goty.com and the 29-year-old has since appealed to Malawians to vote for his goal.
In an interview yesterday, the AmaZulu FC forward said he was thrilled to make the short-list.
He said: “The recognition means a lot to me, but I am hoping that I can get the award.
“I am so excited, it’s amazing to be among the nominees. Let me also appreciate the role that the coaches and team-mates made to enable me to score that goal.
“I am just urging Malawians to vote for the goal because it is their goal.”
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said Mhango’s goal was by far the best at the Afcon tournament “judging from the distance, velocity, angle and execution”.
He said: “I appeal to the fans to vote en masse so that Gaba should stand a chance of winning.”
Although the Flames lost that match 2-1 to bow out of the African football safari, Mhango basked in the global limelight with some media outlets of repute pitting his 40-metre fabulous strike as the goal of the tournament.
Only two goals from the 2021 Afcon finals have been nominated, the other scored by Comoros’ Youssof M’changama agaist Cameroon.
Mhango finished as third top scorer at the tournament with three goals.
