Ziyo Tembo is the player of the year for 2016 | Zambian Super League European Fans

Ziyo Tembo, captain of the 2016 Zambian Super League champions Zanaco FC has been named Player of the Year at the awards ceremony held at the Hotel Inter-Continental in Lusaka, Zambia on Tuesday evening. While commanding his teammates from defence, the big Zanaco centre-back contributed four out of the seventy-one league goals his club scored in the 2016 season.

He also scored two goals in the CAF African Confederation Cup.

His defensive prowess meant that Zanaco only conceded 16 goals in 34 matches, the least by any team in the league.

Astonishingly, his defense only gave up one league goal at home all season.

His contributions in the league did not go unnoticed, leading to his first national team invitation in July by coach George Lwandamina for the Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualification match with Kenya and for FIFA World Cup qualifiers with Nigeria and Cameroon under Wedson Nyirenda.

He fought off competition from Nkana forward Walter Bwalya (Africa's best striker) who scored 24 goals to win the top scorers' award and Zesco United midfielder Misheck Chaila. Tembo was also nominated for the most disciplined player award but that one went to Zesco United goalkeeper Jacob Banda.

Power Dynamos striker Patson Daka walked away with the Young Player of the Year award after seeing off the challenge of Zanaco midfielder Charles Zulu and Zesco United winger Shemmy Mayembe.

Zanaco coach Mumamba Numba won the Coach of the Year award after winning the league in his first full season in charge. Wisdom Chewe won the Best Referee of Year while it was Kabwe Chansa who won the Best Assistant Referee of the Year. Referee Janny Sikazwe received the FAZ President's award. All 18 Super League clubs also received received financial awards based on their final positions on the league table, with champions Zanaco receiving K250,000.00 while runners-up Zesco United received K100,000.00.