Napoli’s Osimhen and Barcelona’s Oshoala among nominees for Nigeria Pitch Awards

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Barcelona women’s Asisat Oshoala are among the nominees for the 2021 Nigeria Pitch Awards.

In a press conference held at Ibis Hotel Lagos on Wednesday and was graced by crème de la crème of Nigerian football, the nominees for the eighth edition were announced with 17 categories to be decided.

The award endorsed by the Nigeria Football Federation will see the Italy based striker battle Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi and Genk’s Paul Onuachu for the King of the Pitch Diadem.

Reigning African Women’s Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala will slug it out with Gift Monday and Uchenna Kalu for the Queen of the Pitch award.

Osimhen – who will be missing the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations due to injury and positive Covid-19 test – also got a mention in the Striker of the Year category alongside Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Onuachu – who contributed a great deal to the club’s triumph in the Belgian Cup for the 2020–21 campaign.

Thanks to her impressive outing for Barcelona – a team she helped win the Uefa Women’s Champions League last term – Oshoala faces a stiff challenge in River Angels' Gift Monday and Linkopings FC's Uchenna Kalu in the quest to be named as Nigeria’s Queen of the Pitch.

Rangers' Joe Aribo locks horns with Ndidi and Brentford's Frank Onyeka in the Midfielder of the Year zone.

GOAL’s Shina Oludare would be hoping to be named Nigeria’s Football Journalist of the Year (website) but he must navigate his way past Tobi Adepoju and Fisayo Dairo.

NOMINEES IN FULL

Goalkeeper of the Year: Francis Uzoho, Maduka Okoye, Daniel Akpeyi 
Defender of the Year: William Troost Ekong, Olisa Ndah, Leon Balogun 
Midfielder of the Year: Frank Onyeka, Joe Aribo Rangers FC, Wilfred Ndidi 

Striker of the Year: Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Osimhen, Paul Onuachu 

Queen of the Pitch: Gift Monday, Asisat Oshoala, Uchenna Kalu 
King of the Pitch: Wilfred Ndidi, Paul Onuachu, Victor Osimhen 
Team of the Year: Bayelsa United, Rivers United, Akwa United

Coach of the Year: Diepreye Teibowei, Edwin Okon, Kennedy Boboye 

Sam Okwaraji Award: Victor Osimhen, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, Asisat Oshoala  

State with best grassroots football development: Delta, Edo, Lagos

Football Friendly Governor: Nyesom Wike, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa 

Corporate Sponsor of Football Award: Aiteo Group, Air Peace, Aiteo Group 

Football Pitch of the Year Award: Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Mobolaji Johnson Stadium, Teslim Balogun Stadium