Real Madrid’s Zidane Earns Top Award
Real Madrid midfielder Zinedine Zidane, whose volleyed goal against Bayer Leverkusen in last season’s final won the European Champions League for the Spanish club, Thursday was named the league’s top player.
The team claimed four of the six awards presented at a UEFA gala in Monte Carlo. In addition to France’s Zidane, Brazil’s Roberto Carlos was named top defender, Spain’s Raul was named top forward and Vicente del Bosque was named top coach. The goalkeeping award went to Germany’s Oliver Kahn of Bayern Munich, while German teammate Michael Ballack was named the top midfielder for leading Leverkusen to the title game.
Lennart Johansson, the Swedish president of UEFA, also presented Newcastle United and former England national team coach Bobby Robson, 69, with a special award for his lifetime contributions to the sport. Brazilian forward Jardel of Sporting Lisbon won the Golden Shoe as the top scorer in Europe with 42 goals.
*
Champions Draw
Defending champion Real Madrid was placed in a relatively easy group Thursday when the draw was held in Monte Carlo for the first round of 2002-2003 European Champions League play. The nine-time winner was grouped with less accomplished clubs from Belgium, Greece and Italy, and will begin defense of its title against AS Roma in Rome on Sept. 17.
The top two teams in each group advance to the final 16 after round-robin play, home and away, in the first round. The complete draw:
Group A--Arsenal, Auxerre, Borussia Dortmund, PSV Eindhoven.
Group B--Basel, Liverpool, Spartak Moscow, Valencia.
Group C--AEK Athens, Genk, Real Madrid, AS Roma.
Group D--Ajax Amsterdam, Inter Milan, Lyon, Rosenborg.
Group E--Dynamo Kiev, Feyenoord, Juventus, Newcastle United.
Group F--Bayer Leverkusen, Manchester United, Maccabi Haifa, Olympiakos.
Group G--Bayern Munich, Deportivo La Coruna, Lens, AC Milan.
Group H--Barcelona, Bruges, Galatasaray, Locomotiv Moscow.
*
USA Beats Uruguay
Coach Thomas Rongen’s U.S. under-20 national team defeated Uruguay, 3-1, to reach the final of the XIX Torneo Internacional de Futbol de l’Alcudia in Valencia, Spain. The Americans will play Brazil, which edged Costa Rica, 5-3 on penalty kicks, after a 2-2 tie in regulation.
The U.S. took the lead on a bizarre own goal when Uruguay defender Guillermo Rodriguez headed a long clearance kick by U.S. goalkeeper Steve Cronin back over the head of his own goalkeeper, Martin Silva.
Ned Grabavoy and Eddie Johnson also scored for the U.S.
*
An All-Mexican Final
Mexican league teams Morelia and Pachuca advanced to next month’s final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup by defeating American and Costa Rican sides in the semifinals.
Morelia ousted the Kansas City Wizards, routing the Major League Soccer team, 6-1, in Mexico and then tying it, 1-1, in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday night. Pachuca had to come from behind to reach the final after losing, 2-1, to Alajualense in Costa Rica but then winning the second game in Mexico, 2-0, on Wednesday night.
