Tim Cahill's late header salvaged a 1-1 draw for Everton against Liverpool Monday and prevented the crosstown rival from returning to the top of the Premier League. The Reds had taken the lead through Steven Gerrard's strike and were three minutes from leapfrogging Manchester United when Cahill sent a glancing header from Victor Anichebe's ball past Pepe Reina after Yossi Benayoun had conceded a needless free kick. Gerrard's fierce strike past Tim Howard in the 68th minute looked to have settled the 209th Merseyside derby. While the Reds are level on 47 points with United, the defending champion has a superior goal difference and a game in hand. Ibrahimovic wins honor Zlatan Ibrahimovic was named the best player for the 2007-08 Italian league on Monday after coming back from injury to help Inter Milan secure the title in the final game of the season. Ibrahimovic came off the bench and scored twice in Inter's 2-0 win over Parma last May to hold off AS Roma. The Sweden striker also received the award for top foreign player. He scored 17 goals last season. Alessandro del Piero took the award for best Italian player after leading Serie A with 21 goals, matching his best career output from 10 years earlier. Cesare Prandelli was named best coach after guiding Fiorentina back into the Champions League with a fourth-place finish. Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus took the awards for best goalkeeper and defender, respectively, and 21-year-old Marek Hamsik of Napoli received the nod for best young player. Russia to bid for 2018 Cup Russia will bid for the right to host the 2018 World Cup in the near future, the country's sports minister and the chief of the Russian Football Union (RFU) Vitaly Mutko told the press on Monday. “In the near future we are set to make our first move and ask the world football ruling body FIFA for all the necessary documents to prepare a bid for the right to host the 2018 World Cup,” RIA-Novosti news agency quoted the minister as saying. On Jan. 15 FIFA started the reception of the bids for the right to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. All the interested national federations should place their bids before Feb. 2, 2009. Russia will face stiff opposition to host the football showpiece with England, Japan and a joint bid from Spain and Portugal among their rivals.
