Niang named Senegal's finest

Olympique de Marseille striker Mamadou Niang has been voted Senegal’s Footballer of the Year by journalists in the African country.

Fine form
The 28-year-old received 140 votes to land the honour ahead of FC Dynamo Kyiv defender Pape Diakhaté who polled 73 votes. Despite Marseille's indifferent form in the first half of the season, Niang maintained his fine form by scoring ten goals in 17 Ligue 1 outings. Meanwhile, fellow striker Salim Arrache has been loaned to Toulouse FC for six months after failing to establish himself following a summer move from RC Strasbourg. The southern club will face FC Spartak Moskva in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup having been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League.