At 22‚ Thembi Kgatlana has the world at her feet following her Women’s Player of the Year and Goal of the Year prizes at the 2018 Caf Awards‚ says former Banyana Banyana coach Fran Hilton-Smith. Kgatlana — rubbing shoulders with Men’s Player of the Year Mohamed Salah and legends George Weah‚ Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba at the ceremony in Dakar‚ Senegal on Tuesday night — was the only recipient of two awards. She became the second South African‚ after Noko Matlou in 2008‚ to win the Women’s Player award. Banyana collected three awards‚ with coach Desiree Ellis scooping Coach of the Year. Hilton-Smith‚ the SA Football Association’s (Safa’s) assistant technical director and head of women’s football‚ said it was a big night for women’s football in SA.
“Ja‚ it’s massive. It shows that years of structured development has led us to where we are now‚” she said on Wednesday. “Thembi comes from our Safa High Performance Centre for women at Pretoria University that started 13 years ag...
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