2019 African Youth Player of the Year Award: Hakimi Threatens Osimhen, Chukwueze’s Chances




The aspiration of the Nigerian duo of striker, Victor Osimhen of Lille and winger, Samuel Chukwueze of Villarreal to win the 2019 African Youth Player of the Year award may be facing a huge threat from Morocco international, Achraf akimi.

Hakimi who is playing for Borussia Dortmund on loan from Real Madrid, has so far had a tremendous campaign for the German Bundesliga giants in the current 2019 calendar year.

Hakimi is halfway into his second season at Dortmund. He was a key member of the BVB side that finished as Bundesliga runners-up in 2018/19 and has continued to impress at home and abroad this term.

The 21-year-old has already featured in 26 matches in all competitions, registering six goals and as many assists. He scored his first career brace in Dortmund’s 2-0 win at Slavia Prague in UEFA Champions League Group F before orchestrating a stunning comeback from 2-0 down, with another double in a 3-2 home win over Inter Milan.

He is the highest-scoring defender in this season’s competition. It is also surprising to know that Hakimi, despite being a defender, has actually scored more goals and made more assists than Chukwueze.

So far during the 2019/20 season, Chukwueze has found the back of the net three times and rendered an assist after making 17 appearances in the Spanish Laliga.

Hakimi who was on the initial shortlist for the CAF’s Player of the Year prize was also among the goal scorers in his most recent outing for Morocco. He scored his second goal in 28 senior international appearances in the Atlas Lions’ 3-0 victory over Burundi in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on 19 November, 2019.

The Moroccan, however, has a much more serious contender in Osimhen who has so far scored 13 goals in 24 appearances across all competitions for Lille this season.

Comments