Hat-trick hero for Nigeria against Algeria, Raheem Lawal has been selected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the best XI of the just-ended U23 Championship in Morocco.
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has already revealed that Spain-based midfielder Lawal has caught his eye after his five-star display against Algeria.
The other Nigerian player picked was striker Daniel Uchechi, who was one of 10 substitutes.
Nigeria failed to go past the group phase of the tournament, which produced three of Africa’s automatic qualifiers for next year’s summer Olympics in London – Gabon, Morocco and Egypt.
Senegal will battle an Asian team for an additional slot in April.
Surprise winners Gabon, who upstaged Morocco in the championship game Saturday, also had Nenet in the best XI that was dominated by players from Egypt and Morocco.
CAF U23 Championship Best XI:
1. EL SHENAWI (16 Egypt)
2. KARK ( 2 Cote d’Ivoire)
3. MOAZ ( 5 Egypt)
4. NENET (5 Gabon)
5. ZAKARYA (6 Morocco)
6. SAMEEHG ( 7 South Africa)
7. HOSSAM HASSAN ( 14 Egypt)
8. BARRADA (4 Morocco)
9. LAWAL ( 8 Nigeria)
10. SANE (7 Senegal)
11. MOKHTAR ( 14 Morocco)
Substitutes:
(16) SEN OUSMANE
(06) EGYPT HEGAZI
(10) EGYPT MOHAMED SALAH
(07) GABON ALLEN
(08) Cote d’Ivoire KOUASSI
(14) Cote d’Ivoire SERI
(07) MOR SOUFIANE
(19) MOR ANANE
(07) NGR DANIEL UCHECHI
(10) ALG CHALALI MOHAMED