Toure wins African gong

Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure has won the African Player of the Year award ahead of Seydou Keita and Andre Ayew.

City ace beats Keita and Ayew to top prize

Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure has won the African Player of the Year award. The Manchester City midfielder, formerly of Barcelona, beat Barca's Seydou Keita and Andre Ayew of Marseille to the prize. Toure helped Manchester City win the FA Cup last season while Roberto Mancini's side are currently top of the Premier League table. He also helped Ivory Coast finish their African Nations Cup qualifying campaign with a 100 per cent record. "This award is not important for me alone. It's for my country and for my club," said Toure. "This is a big step in my career, I'm very thrilled. To be the winner is fantastic." Harouna Doula won Coach of the Year at Thursday's annual Confederation of African Football awards after he led Niger to their first African Cup of Nations finals, qualifying from a group containing South Africa and record seven-time champions Egypt. Botswana won Team of the Year after they also qualified for their first African Cup. Former Nigeria international Jay-Jay Okocha and Morocco's Mustapha Hadji were honoured with African legends awards.