SOUTH AFRICAN LOSES IN UEFA FINAL
South African international Kagisho Dikgacoi picked up a runners-up medal in the UEFA Europa League on Wednesday night after his English club Fulham lost in the final in Hamburg.
They were beaten by an extra time goal from Atletico Madrid’s Diego Forlan, the Uruguayan striker who Dikgacoi will go up against in the World Cup in South Africa next month.
Dikgacoi did not play but as one of the official substitutes was entitled to a medal, presented by UEFA president Michel Platini after the game.
The 25-year-old Dikgacoi finished an injury-plagued season with seven starts and five substitute appearances. He was red carded on his debut but played a full 90 minutes in the last three games.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson praised Fulham’s players for their remarkable achievements after an epic, 63-match season ended in crushing disappointment at the death in Hamburg. A 116th-minute goal from Forlán gave Atlético a 2-1 victory after extra time, bringing a sudden end to Fulham’s dream of winning a leading trophy for the first time in their 131-year history.