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Schillo and Drogba in killer form

STEVEN "Schillo" Pienaar, who was voted Everton's players' player of the season, came face to face with his Bafana Bafana captain Aaron "Mbazo" Mokoena when the Toffees faced Portsmouth in their English Premiership season-ending match on Sunday.

STEVEN "Schillo" Pienaar, who was voted Everton's players' player of the season, came face to face with his Bafana Bafana captain Aaron "Mbazo" Mokoena when the Toffees faced Portsmouth in their English Premiership season-ending match on Sunday.

Pienaar, who returned after recovering from a minor ankle injury, played for 90 minutes, while Mokoena was substituted in the 66th minute as Pompey boss Avram Grant rested key players ahead of the FA Cup final. The debt-crippled and relegated Portsmouth lost that match 1-0.

The unassuming Pienaar, who is a key player for Bafana's campaign in the 2010 World Cup, made South Africans proud when he was named Everton's player of the season last week.

His achievement was hailed by the Premier Soccer League, Safa and soccer legends including Doctor Khumalo and Philemon "Chippa" Masinga.

Khumalo told Sowetan last week that they wished Pienaar to avoid injury before the showpiece that kicks off on June 11.

Indeed, the Westbury-born linkman is Bafana's trump card based on his terrific form at Goodison Park.

Elsewhere on "Super Sunday", serial scorer Didier Drogba stole the limelight when he claimed a hat-trick as Chelsea fired eight unanswered goals past Wigan to end the three-year reign of Manchester United as English Premiership champions.

Drogba finished as leading league scorer with 29 goals and now turns his attention to the World Cup where Ivory Coast face a mammoth task to survive a first-round cull after drawing Brazil, Portugal and North Korea. Ivorian teammate Salomon Kalou was also on target for Chelsea and Senegal striker and Marseille skipper Mamadou Niang was another African celebrating winning a national championship.

Other overseas-based African players fared as follows:

FRANCE

Mamadou Niang (Marseille) - The Senegalese and Marseille captain helped the Mediterranean giants to claim their first French title in 18 years.

SPAIN

Freddy Kanoute (Sevilla) - The Mali international scored his 11th league goal of season although it was in vain as 10-man Sevilla crashed 3-2 at home against champions Barcelona.

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