August saw the stars from the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in July gradually return to club action, with some standout performances in Italy, Mexico, Sweden, Russia and France as well as the NWSL.
Cameroon’s Ajara Nchout Njoya has picked up where she left off with Inter Milan, joined by a new strike partner in Malawi’s Tabitha Chawinga.
Banyana Banyana duo Jermaine Seoposenwe and Refiloe Jane are also up and running at their new clubs, while several Super Falcons stars continue to impress with their respective teams.
1. Ajara Nchout Njoya, Inter Milan
Nchout Njoya led the charge for the Indomitable Lionesses at WAFCON, scoring against Tunisia and Botswana.
She started the new Serie A season off the bench, but came on in the 58th minute and made an almost immediate impact, setting up Tabitha Chawinga for Inter’s fourth goal in a 4-1 win over Parma.
The 29-year-old has a battle on her hands for a starting berth, with Inter having strengthened their strike force in an attempt to close the gap between themselves and the likes of Juventus and AS Roma. However, for August at least, she claims top spot due to the consistency of her performances over the last few months.
2. Uchenna Kanu, Tigres UANL
Kanu has continued her fine form in Mexico with UANL, most recently scoring in the 3-0 win over UNAM.
The games come thick and fast in the Liga MX Femenil and Kanu was on international duty for Nigeria when the Torneo Apertura started on 8 July. Nevertheless, she has already netted five times since returning in an incredible start to the season.
UANL are second in the league, two points behind leaders Guadalajara.
3. Jermaine Seoposenwe, FC Juárez
Another talented African player in the Liga MX Femenil is South Africa’s Jermaine Seoposenwe, who recently joined Juárez from Braga.
Seoposenwe was vital for Banyana Banyana in their AWCON triumph, carrying the bulk of the load upfront due to Thembi Kgatlana’s injury early in the tournament.
Juárez, who were languishing near the bottom of the table, desperately needed a boost, with Seoposenwe instantly providing that on debut against Guadalajara. The 28-year-old scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over the table-toppers, ending their perfect start to the season.
4. Tabitha Chawinga, Inter Milan
Chawinga was absent at the AWCON as Malawi failed to qualify, but hit the ground running at her new club, Inter Milan, who she joined from Wuhan Jiangda.
Chawinga started on the left of the Inter front three against Parma and got the assist for Gloria Marinelli’s goal, Inter’s third on the day.
She then got off the mark in Serie A herself as Nchout Njoya played her in behind the defence in the 78th minute and she rounded the goalkeeper to put the cherry on the cake with Inter’s fourth goal.
5. Chiamaka Nnadozie, Paris FC
Nigeria goalkeeper Nnadozie was in goal for two vital UEFA Women’s Champions League games against Servette FC Chênois and AS Roma, keeping clean sheets in both.
Paris beat Servette 3-0, but unfortunately for the 21-year-old rising star, they were subsequently defeated by Roma on penalties following a 0-0 draw.
However, her fine form suggests that this is far from the last time that she will get a taste of European football at the very highest level.
6. Michelle Alozie, Houston Dash
Alozie scored a vital goal for Houston Dash in their 2-2 NWSL draw with Washington Spirit. The 25-year-old California-born Nigerian international netted in stoppage time to secure a share of the spoils for her side.
The Super Falcons starlet has scored twice in 110 minutes of NWSL action this season and looks likely to be increasingly important to the team.
She will hope for a more prominent role after salvaging a point for her side in their most recent fixture to keep them in second place in the NWSL.
7. Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene, Eskilstuna United
Okobi-Okeoghene netted the winner for Eskilstuna United in their 1-0 victory over Djurgårdens. Finding goal in the 37th minute, she got on the scoresheet for the fifth time this season in the Damallsvenskan.
Eskilstuna sit sixth in the table with Okobi-Okeoghene, 28, enjoying a prolific campaign after the versatile Super Falcons midfielder did not score in the whole of last season in the league. The team is seven points behind third place, which would be enough to secure a Champions League first round spot.
8. Francisca Ordega, CSKA Moscow
Ordega continued her steady goalscoring form for CSKA, netting in the 4-0 win over Rubin Kazan on August 13.
The 28-year-old Super Falcons star has scored five times in 17 league appearances this season. CSKA finished third in the Russian Women’s Football Championship regular season behind Zenit and Lokomotiv Moscow and will now head into the playoffs.
9. Gabrielle Onguéné, CSKA Moscow
Onguéné also found the back of the net for CSKA in August, scoring in their 2-1 win over Zvezda Perm.
The Cameroon striker’s opening goal in the 43rd minute proved decisive on the day as Onguéné finished the regular season with four goals to her name.
10. Refiloe Jane, Sassuolo
Jane was sublime for Banyana Banyana at the AWCON and got her first game under her belt at her new club, Sassuolo, who she joined from AC Milan.
Lana Clelland opened the scoring for Sassuolo, but Odette Kelly Gago scored twice late on to snatch the win.
Although it was not the start to life at Sassuolo that Jane would have wanted from a team perspective, it was through no fault of her own individually that Sassuolo were unable to hold on. She remains in solid form individually and therefore keeps her spot in the top 10 despite dropping down the pecking order.
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