Football Association of Malawi has led the way in drumming up support for Malawi national football team star Gabadinho Mhango to be voted for Confederation of African Football (CAF) Goal of the Year Award.
The South Africa-based Malawian star was nominated alongside nine others for his sensational goal he scored against Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon early this year.
Walter Nyamilandu
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu urged the soccer fraternity to vote for the former South Africa top flight league’s Orlando Pirates striker.
“Gaba deserves goal of the tournament at Afcon, Cameroon 2021. Show your admiration and patriotism by voting now. Your vote counts,” he said.
FAM commercial and marketing director Limbani Matola also said: “Please vote for Gabadinho Mhango. Vote now. Tell others to tell others to vote for Gaba.”
Social media was awash with such messages although some Malawians did not consider patriotism as a justification to vote for him.
“Gaba’s goal is one of the very best at Afcon. His goal was the best. We can take out all the Afcon goals and remain with those goals scored in other tournaments. So Gaba still stands a chance to win the award. But since we need to vote, let’s vote for him,” said one of the fans.
Another fan had contrary view, saying: ” This is how rotten societies work. We are supposed to vote for the best goal not Malawian or Zambian. This idea that someone should get a prize or voted for because he is a homeboy is what is killing this country. That’s how we end up with wrong leaders.”
CAF announced that 70 percent will account from votes while 30 will be used to assess the winner.
Other nominees are Ellyes Skhari and Haithem Layouni of Tunisia, Pape Ousmane Sakho of Senegal, Moroccans Zohair El Moutaraj and Sanna Massoudy, Youssouf M’changama of Comoros Ben Malango of D R Congo, Adama Congo from Burkina Faso and Keitsumetse Dithebe of Botswana.
The winner is expected to be announced on Friday alongside other awards such as CAF player of the year and coach of the year.
