Africa’s best: The five players shortlisted for the 2015 BBC African Footballer of the Year award were revealed in Johannesburg, yesterday. Algeria’s Yacine Brahimi, the 2014 winner, is on the list along with Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ghanaian Andre Ayew, Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast. The winner, to be decided by the fans, will be announced on December 11.
Blaszczykowski: Jakub Blas-zczykowski sustained a muscular injury while on duty for Poland and the Fiorentina midfielder could be out of the game for the next two weeks to recover. Blaszczykowski had to leave the pitch early in last Friday’s 4-2 win over Iceland in a friendly. Reports said he is expected to undergo more tests in Florence today to determine the extent of his time on the sidelines.
Vida: Tottenham Hotspur are showing keen interest in Dynamo Kiev defender Domagoj Vida and scouts from the London club were recently at Stamford Bridge to watch the 26-year-old Croatian in action for his team against Chelsea in the Champions League. Vida can play in central defence or right-back. He is under contract until 2018 but has a release clause in his contract.
Gomez: Milan have stepped up their chase for Atalanta winger Alejandro Gomez as coach Sinisa Mihajlovic wants to strengthen his side in January with the addition of some new players. Gomez, 27, recently played for Atalanta against Milan at the San Siro and the Argentine left a very good impression in a match that finished 0-0. On that occasion, Milan supremo Silvio Berlusconi singled out Gomez as an ideal target in the January transfer window.
Bassedas: Former Newcastle United and Argentina midfielder Christian Bassedas has made his first step as a coach by taking charge of struggling Argentine club Velez Sarsfield after seven years as their sporting director. “We’re ready to fight every object that blocks our way. We must pick ourselves up and become Velez again,” Bassedas, who was a part of Velez’s most successful team in the 1990s winning the Libertadores Cup and the Intercontinental Cup, said at his unveiling.
Results
Serie B
Ascoli vs Perugia - 1-0
Avellino vs Latina - 3-1
Brescia vs Trapani - 3-0
Cesena vs Bari - 0-2
Como vs Pescara - 0-2
Salernitana vs Novara - 1-0
Spezia vs Cagliari - 0-3
Ternana vs Entella - 1-2
Lanciano vs Crotone - 1-1
Standings: Cagliari 29; Crotone, Bari 25; Cesena 23; Livorno, Pescara 21; Brescia 20; Novara 19; Vicenza 18; Entella, Spezia 17; Avellino, Latina, Trapani 16; Perugia, Modena 15; Salernitana, Pro Vercelli 14; Ternana, Ascoli 13; Virtus Lanciano 10; Como 8 .
Lega Pro – Group A
Cremonese vs Padova - 1-1
AlbinoLeffe vs G. Erminio - 0-2
Pordenone vs Alessandria - 1-1
Cittadella vs Mantova - 0-0
Leading standings: Cittadella 22; Pavia 21; Reggiana 20; Bassano 19; FeralpiSalo, Alessandria 18.
Lega Pro – Group B
Arezzo vs Lucchese - 1-2
Pisa vs Robur Siena - 1-2
Savona vs Spal - 0-3
Lega Pro – Group C
Akragas vs Casertana - 0-4
Martina vs Matera - 0-1
Messina vs Catania - 0-0
Lecce vs Cosenza - 1-0
Playing today:
Benevento vs Juve Stabia - 20.00
League Two
Hartlepool-Leyton Orient - 3-1
Portsmouth-Wimbledon - 0-0
Standings: Plymouth 38; Oxford 33; Northampton 31; Portsmouth, Accrington 29; Mansfield, Leyton Orient, Bristol Rovers, Wimbledon, Carlisle 26; Luton, Wycombe 25; Morecambe, Exeter 23; Notts County, Crawley 22; Cambridge, Barnet, Hartlepool 20; Stevenage 15; Newport 14; York City 12; Yeovil 10; Dagenham 9.