Mohamed Abou-Treika is one step away from claiming the CAN Player of the Year (based in Africa) Award after making the final three-man shortlist. The Ahli and Egypt star has been nominated for the annual gong, along with more than 30 other players as CAF cut the list down to five players and then to three. Abou-Treika is now facing competition from Mazembe's Zambian duo Stoppila Sunzu and Rainford Kalaba, who both helped their country win the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. Esperance duo Youssef Msakni and Yannick N'Djeng were omitted, a few days following their team's Champions League final defeat to Ahli. Abou-Treika was the only Ahli player to make the initial list.