UK publication rates Gabadinho highly
UK sports publication Goal.com has rated Flames forward Gabadinho Mhango 16th among the most influential players at the just ended Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Cameroon.
Gabadinho is ranked above Mohammed Salah (27) and Nicholas Pepe (18) on the rankings. Cameroon forward Vincent Aboubakar is ranked first while Sadio Mane is ranked second.
Reads goal.com/en-gb/lists/afcon: “[He] scored both goals against Zimbabwe in the Cosafa derby to send Malawi through to the last 16, and then bagged the goal of the tournament against Morocco as the Flames threatened an upset.”
Mhango is the only player from Southern and East Africa to be ranked as influential by the Goal.com.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said Mhango deserves more recognition as he was outstanding at the Afcon.
He said: “I was not happy not to see him on the podium to receive his accolade together with Sadio Mane, Edourad Mendy and Gabask. I was hoping to see an award for the best goal of the tournament.
“Gabadinho Mhango should have posed with the best of the best. I can’t see anyone claiming such honours except the son of the soil. I salute our goal-scoring machine.”
Renowned sports pundit Charles Nyirenda also hailed Mhango for individual effort which made him influential to the team.
Said Nyirenda:. “I appreciate the honour given to our player and may this encourage him to work harder. In terms of being rated above the other well-known soccer icons, I am sure they have looked at the goals he scored against Zimbabwe and Morocco with the latter being touted as the best at this year’s Afcon edition according to CAF. So, I concur with those who have placed Gabadhino up there and above the famous names who were unable to match his tally.”
Sadio Mane of Senegal won the Player of the Tournament Award, his compatriot Eduardo Mendy won Goalkeeper of the Tournament Award and Aboubakar won the top scorer award.
However, former Nigeria Striker Asamoah Gyan expressed his reservations on Mane’s player of the tournament accolade.
