SHORT CORNER

Salah retains BBC African Footballer of the Year award

AFP

Liverpool and Egypt striker Mohamed Salah has capped a sparkling 2018 for club and country by winning the prestigious BBC African Footballer of the Year Award for the second time in a row.

"It's a great feeling to win again. I'm happy and I would like to win it also next year!" said Salah.

The 26-year-old, who beat Medhi Benatia, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sadio Mane and Thomas Partey to the award, is just the second player after Jay-Jay Okocha to win it two years running.

Salah scored 44 goals in 52 games for Liverpool last season, his first on Merseyside after joining them from Roma, and helped them to reach the Champions League final.          

Bayern thump Hanover

AFP

Thomas Mueller had a frustrating time in front of goal in his 300th Bundesliga game, but Bayern continued their run of form with a 4-0 win at Hanover on Saturday.

Joshua Kimmich's second-minute volley from an awkward-looking flick from Thomas Mueller gave the Bavarians an early lead.

Bayern doubled their lead in the 29th minute when David Alaba rocketed a strike into the top of the net from the edge of the box.

Kimmich turned provider for the last two goals.

In the 53rd minute, he played a low cross for Serge Gnabry who weaved through traffic before toe-poking home from close range.

Ten minutes later, Kimmich floated a perfectly-weighted cross into the path of Robert Lewandowski who headed his 10th goal of the season, going to the top of the Bundesliga scoring charts.      

Boca coach Schelotto leaves after Libertadores final loss

Reuters

Boca Juniors have parted company with manager Guillermo Barros Schelotto less than a week after their defeat in the Copa Libertadores final by arch-rivals River Plate.

Boca lost 3-1 after extra time in last Sunday's second leg in Madrid to go down 5-3 on aggregate. It was the first Copa Libertadores final between the Buenos Aires rivals.

The final was twice postponed and eventually played in Spain because of violence caused by River fans in Buenos Aires.

"The best thing for Boca is to start the year making a change — search for a new coaching staff and start all over from scratch," Boca president Daniel Angelici told a news conference.