Soccer Sports News & Betting

Samuel Etoo has been voted African player of the year for a record fourth time.

The forward for Inter Milan and Cameroon finished ahead of Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba in votes cast by the coaches of Africans 53 national teams.

Etoo, who also won the award in 2003, 2004 and 2005, helped Inter Milan win an unprecedented treble of Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League titles last season.

Abedi Pele and George Weah each won the award three times.

Ghana won the team of the year award and Serbian Milovan Rajevac, who quit as Ghana coachs in September, was voted coach of the year.

Ahmed Hassan won the African-based player of the year award after leading Egypt to the African Cup of Nations title.

David Beckhams hopes of joining a European club on loan during the Major League Soccer offseason appear to have been thwarted. The Los Angeles Galaxy said Monday that it expects the midfielder back with the team next month.

The 35-year-old Beckham said after an awards ceremony in England on Sunday that he hoped to play in Europe again during the winter to boost his chances of being recalled to Englands national team.

While the former England captain have been allowed to spend the last two winters at AC Milan, the Galaxy are reluctant to send him out on loan again after he injured an Achilles tendon while playing in Italy in March.

Having missed the first six months of the MLS season, Beckham had also previously said he was focused on returning to full fitness rather than seeking another loan move, but he now appears to have revived the prospect of a temporarily joining another club.

The Galaxy, though, expect Beckham to report back for preseason training as he enters the final season of his five-year $32.5 million contract with the team.

“We are not aware that David is looking to be loaned to any other team and we are fully expecting he reports with the rest of his Galaxy teammates in late January for the upcoming season,” the Galaxy said Monday in a statement to The Associated Press.

Beckham appeared to suggest otherwise, although he is yet to identify a loan club.

“I wont be going back to AC Milan this time because is not possible to go onto the roster for such a short length of time,” Beckham said in the English city of Birmingham. “But I will be going back somewhere as I want to keep myself fit and keep myself in with a chance of getting called up for England again. To do that, I have to be somewhere, so fingers crossed I can sort something out.”

Beckham has made 115 appearances for England - the most for an outfield player.

“My body feels great after my injury,” Beckham said. “I always said I needed to get that back into order and keep my fitness and we will see.”

Beckham said the only Premier League team he would consider playing for was Manchester United, which he left in 2003 to join Real Madrid.

“It is a great league and one of the most competitive in the world,” Beckham said of Englands top flight. “Maybe one day I will come back here but I have always said that it will only be for Manchester United. I am not holding my breath on that one, but we will have to wait and see.”

Lyon and Marseille drew 1-1 in a high-stakes match between two French league title contenders on Sunday.

Lille tops the standings on goal difference, level on 31 points with Paris Saint-Germain and Rennes. Lyon dropped to fourth place with 30 points while defending champion Marseille remained in fifth place with 28.

“Its a good result, even though its only a point,” Marseille coach Didier Deschamps told Canal Plus television. “We had spells of domination in the first half but Lyon scored on its only chance. In the second half, we didnt manage to score a second goal.”

Lilles game versus Nancy and Lens match against Caen were postponed because of heavy snowfall. No new date has been set for either match.

Meanwhile, Bordeaux drew 1-1 with Sochaux, missing an opportunity to make up ground in the title race.

Lyon scored against the run of play in the 35th minute, converting its first chance. Brazil midfielder Michel Bastos charged down the right flank to make a low cross that eluded the Marseille defense. Argentine forward Lisandro Lopez, unmarked at the far post, took a touch before shooting past goalkeeper Steve Mandanda from 10 yards.

Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena leveled in the 51st, stretching out his right foot to divert home a long-range effort from Benoit Cheyrou.

“We could have expected better tonight,” Lyon coach Claude Puel said. “But earning a point at Marseille isnt bad.

“I have some regrets because we didnt start the second half well. They had more physical impact and put more pressure on us.”

Marseille dominated the first half, but Lyon absorbed the pressure without cracking.

Marseille had the first chance after six minutes when Lyon defender Dejan Lovrens clearance hit teammate Pape Diakhate, and Andre Ayew pounced on the loose ball to slam a low shot that was blocked by France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Marseille playmaker Lucho Gonzalez found Cheyrou inside the area with a chipped pass in the 19th. Cheyrou controlled the ball with his chest but his bicycle kick lacked power.

The crowd at Stade Velodrome erupted when Andre-Pierre Gignac fired home a low drive in the 21st. But the goal was disallowed for an offside call on winger Loic Remy, who had attempted to divert in Gignacs shot. Remy did not touch the ball but played an active role in the play.

Bastos came close to doubling the lead for Lyon in the 41st, outpacing fullback Taye Taiwo to hit a low shot wide of the post.

After Marseille equalized, Lyon had half-chances in the 64th and 70th but Bafetimbi Gomis and Bastos both missed.

Marseille nearly capitalized on a mistake from Lyon defender Pape Diakhate, whose weak header was intercepted by Gignac in the 76th, but the Marseille forwards close-range shot sailed wide.

“The match was a bit physical without much space,” Valbuena said. “There was a lot of density in midfield. The game was decided by details.

“We are not at the top of our game yet, but we managed to rally with our determination. You cant take that away from us.”

In Sochaux, Ideye Brown scored his eighth goal of the season to earn a draw for the hosts.

Brown found the net in the 35th from midfielder Marvin Martins season-leading eighth assist.

Brazilian midfielder Jussie had opened the scoring for Bordeaux by heading home a corner from Jaroslav Plasil in the 28th.

Sochaux pushed hard for the winner in the second half. Brown knocked the ball down for Martin to chest it down and strike the crossbar in the 73rd.

Bordeaux goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso salvaged the point by using his leg to stop a low shot from David Sauget in the 90th.

“Its the same old story since the start of the season,” Carrasso told Canal Plus television. “Each time we have the opportunity to make up ground. But its only opportunities, we still have to convert them. And today we didnt.”

Bordeaux slipped to ninth place with 26 points, five behind leader Lille.

Sochaux, which has the best home record in the league, is in 11th place with 25 points.

“We can have regrets after our second half,” Sochaux coach Francis Gillot said. “But Bordeaux could have made the difference in the first half. Overall, the result is quite fair.”

On Saturday, it was: Paris Saint-Germain 2, Monaco 2; Rennes 1, Valenciennes 0; Saint-Etienne 2, Arles-Avignon 0; Nice 1, Brest 1; Montpellier 1, Auxerre 1 and Toulouse 3, Lorient 0.

FC Porto extended its unbeaten run to 37 games on Sunday, beating Pacos de Ferreira 3-0 to stay eight points clear at the top of the Portuguese league.

Hulk set up defender Nicolas Otamendi to head home Portos 11th-minute opener, and the Brazilian striker added the second goal in the 90th for his 13th goal in 14 games this season.

Substitute Walter capped Portos win in injury time.

Also on Sunday, Leiria moved into third place after defeating last-place Naval 3-0. Maritimos Rafael Mirada scored an own-goal in injury time for a 1-1 draw with Portimonense, and Olhanense versus Nacional ended in a scoreless draw.

Setubal plays Sporting Lisbon on Monday.

First-placed Brisbane Roar extended their A-League undefeated streak to 17 matches with a 2-0 win over North Queensland thanks to two goals from striker Kosta Barbarouses.

The win gave the Roar a 10-point lead over second-placed Adelaide, which lost 2-1 to first-year side Melbourne Heart in another match. Barbarouses scored in the seventh and 76th minutes.

In other games, Melbourne Victory had a 2-0 home win over Perth and Wellington won 4-0 in its home game against Newcastle.

Adelaide dominated the game and went ahead through Sergio van Dijk but Heart captain Simon Colosimo equalized late and striker John Aloisi scored the winner in stoppage time. It was Adelaides first home loss in eight home matches.

“It doesnt happen that much but we know that a game of football is longer than 90 minutes,” Melbourne coach John Vant Schip said. “And today was a big example of that.

“We showed a lot of character - coming back from 1-0 down in a difficult away game, and then going back to Melbourne with three points, that should give us a lot of confidence for the coming games.”

The Victorys Australia striker Archie Thompson scored a goal and then limped off with a hamstring injury in the win over Perth. Thompson, who scored in first-half stoppage time, was only seven matches into a comeback from a serious knee injury.

Victory substitute Rodrigo Vargas scored the other goal in the 63rd minute with a header.

One of Wellingtons key players, Paul Ifill, appeared to have suffered a serious knee injury in the Phoenixs win.

The English-born Barbadian import, scorer of a club-high 13 goals last season and the Phoenixs leading striker this season with seven, fell awkwardly following a 10th-minute challenge.

He was taken by stretcher from the ground and x-rays cleared him of a fracture on his left knee. The full extent of his injury was expected to be known this week.

The Gold Coast was to host the Central Coast on Sunday.

On Wednesday, Central Coast hosts North Queensland and Adelaide travels to Perth to conclude the 19th week of matches.

Barcelona routed Espanyol 5-1 Saturday behind two goals each from Pedro Rodriguez and David Villa to win its 10th straight league game and move five points ahead of second-place Real Madrid in the Spanish league.

Panathinaikos players were chased off the field by their own fans after a stunning 1-0 loss to Volos in the Greek league.

American defender Steven Cherundolo scored an own-goal, and Hannovers club-record run of five straight victories ended with a 3-1 loss at Nuremberg.

Roma beat AC Milan 1-0 on a 69th-minute goal from Marco Borriello, who is on loan from the Serie A leader.

With snowstorms wiping out most English Premier League games, last-place West Ham drew 1-1 at Blackburn to remain in last place.

Rennes joined Lille atop the French league by edging Valenciennes 1-0 with a late goal from Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik.

Inverness completed 2010 unbeaten away from home in the Scottish Premier League after drawing 1-1 at Hearts.

Inverness hasnt lost on the road since November 2009. It went in front on Grant Munros 17th-minute header. Kevin Kyle equalized from the penalty spot in the 25th. Hearts missed the chance to move even with Celtic, which is second in the standings. Inverness is fourth, six points behind Hearts.

In the only other SPL game to survive the snow and cold, Liam Kellys two goals gave Kilmarnock a 2-1 victory over Hibernian that lifted his team to fifth place.

AKRON, Ohio — Akron soccer coach Caleb Porter has signed a six-year contract extension just days after leading the Zips to the schools first NCAA championship in any sport.

Porters new deal keeps him at Akron through the 2020 season. Porter has posted a 90-13-10 record over five seasons.

Last week, the Zips beat Louisville in Santa Barbara, Calif., to capture the national title, the first by a Mid-American Conference school in 45 years.

Akron has been the nations most dominant team the past two seasons, going 45-2-3. The Zips also posted 11 straight shutouts and have won 39 home games in a row.

HOUSTON — Right back Hunter Freeman has signed a multiyear contract with the Houston Dynamo after the Major League Soccer team acquired his rights from the New York Red Bulls.

Houston sent allocation money to the Red Bulls and also received New Yorks third-round draft pick in 2012 as part of Fridays trade.

A Texas native, Freeman was both in Tyler and grew up in Allen. Freeman, who turns 26 next month, played for Colorado, New York and Toronto before spending the last two years at IK Start in Norway.

He was with the U.S. under-20 team at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and the under-23 team in qualifying for the 2008 Olympics.

BIRMINGHAM, England — Los Angeles Galaxy and United States striker Edson Buddle is on trial at Premier League club Birmingham during the Major League Soccer offseason.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is searching for a new forward with the central England club two points above the three-team relegation zone after scoring just 17 goals in 17 matches.

The 29-year-old Buddle was the leading scorer in the MLS for most of the 2010 season despite missing more than a month for the World Cup. Buddle ended the regular season as the second-highest scorer with 17 goals in 25 matches.

“Hes trained with us this week and hes done fine,” McLeish said on the club website. “Im not sure when he goes back. I think hes here for next week as well because wed like a longer look at him.

“Hes been scoring goals in the MLS and had a good season and hes available.”

Named after Pele — whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento — Buddle has played for the Galaxy since 2007.

“Im not sure of the facts, but I know its not going to cost us and arm and a leg if we do [sign him],” McLeish said. “Work permits are obviously the stumbling block, but America are in FIFAs top 70 and hes been playing regularly for them.”

Buddles Galaxy teammate, Landon Donovan, came to England on loan this year, spending January to March at Everton before returning for the MLS season.

However, the Galaxy were frustrated that midfielder David Beckham was injured in March during a second stint on loan at AC Milan.

TUKWILA, Wash. — The Seattle Sounders FC have signed another Swedish midfielder, this time 24-year-old Erik Friberg.

The Sounders made the announcement on Thursday. His signing will be finalized upon receipt of his international paperwork.

Friberg has played the past four seasons with BK Hacken in the Swedish first division. Hes the second Swede to play in Seattle, joining former Sounders midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, who was traded to Chicago last season.

Seattle also said there would be an announcement regarding goalkeeper Kasey Keller on Friday. Its long been expected that Keller will sign an extension to play at least through the 2011 season with the Sounders.