PLAYERS from Senegal and Cameroon cleared the top individual prizes of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday night.
Senegal emerged as champions of the tournament for the first time in their history after beating Cameroon 4-2 on penalties, while hosts Cameroon clinched the bronze medal also with a shootout victory over Burkina Faso after a stunning recovery in regulation time.
Teranga Lions pair Sadio Mane and Edouard Mendy were named Player of the Tournament and Goalkeeper of the Tournament respectively after both played crucial roles in their triumph.
Mane scored three goals and provided two assists as the Lions roared through the tournament unbeaten.
The Liverpool forward scored Senegal’s only goal in three group matches and added further strikes in the 2-0 round of 16 victory over Cape Verde and the 3-1 win over Burkina Faso in the semi-finals.
His assists were key to Senegal’s progress too as he provided them in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
The 29-year-old also scored the nerve-racking winning penalty in the final even after missing one in regulation time.
On his part, Mendy was solid in the Senegal goal as they made their way to the title.
After missing the first two matches due to Covid-19, Mendy recovered to keep three clean sheets in five matches.
Although Egypt rarely threatened during Sunday’s final, Senegal still needed Mendy to pull off two brilliant saves to keep them in the game.
It has been a spectacular last few months for the 29-year-old Chelsea star.
He was named the best goalkeeper in the UEFA Champions League after helping the Blues to the European title and was voted FIFA’s Best Goalkeeper in the world for 2021.
The other prize on Sunday night went to Vincent Aboubakar.
The Cameroon captain scored eight goals in the tournament to emerge as top scorer and help his side to the podium.
Aboubakar, 30, came off the bench to score twice against Burkina Faso in Saturday’s third-place match as Cameron came from 3-0 down to tie the game 3-3.
His eight goals are just one shy of the tournament record set by Zaire’s Ndaye Mulamba (nine) in 1974.
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Ex-Arsenal star Overmars resigns from Ajax over sexual harassment scandal
Nurudeen Obalola
Marc Overmars has left his role at Ajax Amsterdam after it emerged that he has been harassing his female colleagues.
The Dutch club announced on Sunday night that the 48-year-old had resigned from his significant position after inappropriate behaviour.
“Director of Football Affairs Marc Overmars will leave Ajax with immediate effect. He made this decision after discussions in recent days with the Supervisory Board and CEO Edwin van der Sar and communicated his intentions to them,” Ajax said in an official statement on Sunday night.
“A series of inappropriate messages sent to several female colleagues over an extended period of time underlies his decision to leave the club.”
Overmars, who won the UEFA Champions League as a player with Ajax in 1995 and starred for Arsenal between 1997 and 2000, admitted wrongdoing after being caught.
“I am ashamed. Last week I was confronted with reports about my behavior. And how this has come across to others,” he said.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that I was crossing the line with this, but that was made clear to me in recent days. I suddenly felt enormous pressure. I apologize. Certainly for someone in my position, this behavior is unacceptable.
“I now see that too. But it is too late. I see no other option but to leave Ajax. This also has a major impact on my private situation. That is why I ask everyone to leave me and my family alone.”
Overmars, who also played for Barcelona, has been the Director of Football Affairs at Ajax since 2012 and was recently reappointed for a new term, until June 30, 2026.
Supervisory Board chairman of Ajax Leen Meijaard said: “This is a dramatic situation for everyone who is involved in any way. It is devastating for the women who have had to deal with the behavior.
“When we heard news of this, we immediately acted, carefully deliberating and weighing what was the best thing to do – all in consultation with CEO Edwin van der Sar and assisted by an external expert.
“Marc is probably the best football director that Ajax has had. We upgraded and extended his contract for a reason. But, unfortunately, he has really gone over the line, so continuing as director was not an option, as he recognized himself.
“It is extremely painful for everyone. I want to express the wish that everyone involved is given the peace and privacy to process this.”
Chief Executive Officer of the club Edwin van der Sar, who played with Overmars in the same Ajax side, was obviously disappointed by his former teammate’s behaviour.
“I find the situation appalling for everyone and I agree with Leen Meijaard’s words,” the former Juventus and Manchester United goalkeeper said. “In my role, I also feel responsible to help colleagues. A safe sport- and working climate is very important.
“We will pay even more attention to this in the near future. Marc and I have been playing together since the early 1990s, first at Ajax and then with the national team and we have been colleagues in the management of Ajax for almost ten years now.
“That has now come to a very abrupt end. We are working on something very wonderful here at Ajax, so this news will also be a blow to everyone who cares about Ajax.”
