Petr Cech wins player of the year award

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has won the football writers' "Golden Ball" award as the Czech Republic's player of the season for the third time in a row. Cech beat Arsenal midfielder and Czech captain Tomas Rosicky by just three votes in the poll of Czech sports journalists., The keeper won the award despite a head injury that kept him out of action for several months. The 25-year-old has played with protective headgear since suffering a skull fracture following a collision with an opposing player last October.