Covalciuc wins Moldovan prize
Friday, December 10, 2004
Article summary
FC Spartak Moskva midfielder Serghei Covalciuc has been named Moldova's Player of the Year for a second time.
Article body
Majority decision
The 22-year-old won the award for the second year running following a poll by the Moldovan Football Association (FMF). He collected 343 votes from members of the FMF executive committee, club presidents, coaches, agents and officials of local football bodies to beat off competition from FC Moskva's Radu Rebeja and PFC CSKA Moskva's Serguei Dadu.
Moscow move
Having been loaned from Ukrainian side FC Karpaty Lviv to Spartak this summer, Covalciuc impressed sufficiently in the Russian capital to persuade the Spartak board to sign him permanently. He has also caught the eye with the national team in their UEFA EURO 2004™ and 2006 FIFA World Cup campaigns.
Local heroes
While Russian-based players dominated the Player of the Year vote, Moldovan-based talent picked up awards elsewhere. FC Sheriff's Sebastian Hutan claimed the goalkeeping prize with team-mate Razvan Cocis honoured as best forward. FC Nistru Otaci's Serghei Lascencov and Iulian Bursuc were best defender and midfielder respectively.
Fair Play prize
Nistru's Alexandr Matiura was nominated as best Moldovan coach, the Fair Play gong went to Sheriff, while Olga Tanscaia was selected best female player. Finally, Serghei Tacot was voted best Futsal player and Valerii Sorochin took the prize for best referee.
