The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Neymar voted South America’s Footballer of Year Posted: 31 Dec 2011 07:31 AM PST
Uruguay's Oscar Washington Tabarez was named coach of the year for the second time in a row after steering his World Cup semi-finalists to a record 15th Copa America crown in July. Neymar (picture), who inspired Santos to victory over Penarol of Uruguay in the Copa Libertadores final in June, succeeds Argentine midfielder Andres D'Alessandro of Brazil's Internacional in the annual South American poll conducted by the Uruguayan daily El Pais. The 19-year-old took 130 votes to 70 for second-placed Chilean striker Eduardo Vargas, whose exploits in helping Universidad de Chile win the Copa Sudamericana and both domestic league titles this year earned him a transfer to Napoli. Neymar's Santos team mate Paulo Henrique Ganso was third, while Universidad de Chile's Argentine trainer Jorge Sampaoli was voted second among the coaches. — Reuters Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Blackburn stun Man United to spoil Ferguson’s party Posted: 31 Dec 2011 06:48 AM PST  Manchester United's Phil Jones (top) challenges Blackburn Rovers' Ayegbeni Yakubu during their match at Old Trafford in Manchester on December 31, 2011. — Reuters pic Blackburn, who started the day bottom of the table, had taken an unlikely 2-0 lead early in the second half thanks to a Yakubu double before the injury-ravaged champions drew level through two Dimitar Berbatov goals. United had needed a point to ensure they would finish the year in top spot with leaders Manchester City not playing until tomorrow but Grant Hanley's 80th-minute winner for Blackburn stopped them in their tracks. "Obviously it's a disappointment... We never expected that," Ferguson told ESPN television, "We lost two terrible goals in a game, you can't do that in games like this." Defeat leaves United with 45 points from 19 games, behind City on goal difference. Roberto Mancini's side can go three points clear with a victory at Sunderland. Third-placed Tottenham Hotspur travel to Swansea City later today, with fourth-placed Chelsea hosting Aston Villa and sixth-placed Arsenal at home to Queens Park Rangers. The party atmosphere around Old Trafford, where fans had stood up to sing "Happy Birthday" to Ferguson, was silenced after a quarter of an hour when Berbatov grabbed Rovers defender Christopher Samba's shirt and pulled him to the ground. Referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot and Yakubu sent keeper David de Gea the wrong way before casually slotting the ball in to give under-fire Steve Kean's side a shock lead. As if to prove it was no fluke, Yakubu extended the visitors' lead six minutes after the break when he shrugged off the challenges by Phil Jones and temporary centre back Michael Carrick to shoot past De Gea. Blackburn fans were still celebrating the goal when Berbatov headed in Rafael's mis-hit shot to pull one back for the hosts and raise home fans' hopes of a comeback. The Bulgarian striker, who hit five goals past Blackburn in this fixture last season, found the net again just after the hour when he turned in an Antonio Valencia cross. United continued to press forward looking for the winner before a blunder by De Gea destroyed his side's fightback. The Spanish keeper came out to meet a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner but Hanley beat him to it and the 20-year-old defender headed in a winner that lifted Blackburn to 18th place in the 20-team table. "It's great to win and great to win in a place like this ... it can be a springboard for us," Blackburn manager Kean, who has faced repeated calls from fans to resign, told ESPN. — Reuters Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
MONTEVIDEO, Dec 31 — Brazil's teenage striker Neymar, who won the Copa Libertadores with Santos, has been voted South American football's Footballer of the Year.| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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