Moses loses BBC African Footballer of the Year to Salah

Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah saw off competition from in-form Nigeria and Super Eagles star Victor Moses, Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and two others to claim the 2017 edition of the BBC African Footballer of the year award in a ceremony held on Monday. 

Keita was the first to be chopped off the list before being joined on the sideline by Nigeria's Moses. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came third in the voting with Mane Salah claiming the runner-up spot.

Cameroon's 2017 Africa Cup of Nations winner Arnaud Djoum was part of the panel to discuss the nominees, as were Nigeria's 1996 Olympic football champion Emanuel Amuneke and Jean Sseninde of Uganda's national team and Crystal Palace ladies squad.

Mohamed Salah may have scored over a century of goals but he will forever be remembered in Egypt for just one - the late strike against Congo in October that took the Pharaohs to their first World Cup in over a quarter of a century. Egypt - African champions a record seven times - had not reached a World Cup since 1990, but Salah was given the chance to seal their place in Russia from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time with the score at 1-1.

He was equally impressive at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, where he earned a place in the team of the tournament after having a hand in four of Egypt's five goals - scoring twice - as the North Africans finished runners-up to Cameroon.

Salah's outstanding form has not been restricted to internationals. After joining Liverpool from Roma in June, the start to his Anfield career could scarcely have gone better as he was named the club's player of the month in August and September.

A goal on his debut helped him rack up seven goals in his first 11 Premier League games, and he has fared even better in the Champions League, with five goals in six games. Salah's superb start in England was a continuation of his fine form in Italy, where the diminutive player was a key figure in Roma's best league placing in seven years.

He scored 15 times and provided 11 assists in a league famed for its defending

as Roma finished second, trailing champions Juventus by just four points.

This is the first time Salah has been nominated for BBC African Footballer of the Year and he would be the first Egyptian to win it since the legendary Mohamed Aboutrika in 2008.