Fernandez: Frenchman Luis Fernandez has been appointed Israel national coach until the end of 2011. Fernandez, 50, will take up his position on May 1 and will lead Israel in away friendlies against Chile and Uruguay at the end of that month.
Abandoned: The Bulgarian league match between Lokomotiv Mezdra and visiting CSKA Sofia was abandoned in the 65th minute due to crowd trouble yesterday. Angry CSKA fans threw stones and invaded the pitch after Ismail Isa put the home side ahead, forcing referee Ivaylo Stoyanov to abandon the match. There was no police presence inside the stadium because Lokomotiv refused to pay the security taxes.
Red Star: Red Star Belgrade sacked manager Vladimir Petrovic yesterday and named youth team coach Ratko Dostanic as his replacement, the Serbian first division leaders said. The decision came after Red Star lost 2-1 at promoted Metalac Kragujevac on Saturday, only their second league defeat of the season. Petrovic, a former Arsenal midfielder, enjoyed the fans' support in what has so far been a good domestic season.
Peters: World Cup winner Martin Peters said he had doubts about whether England's 44-year wait to win the World Cup for a second time would finally end in South Africa in July. Peters was concerned by the defence and believed that if opponents stifle striker Wayne Rooney, England could struggle. "I think it will be difficult. There's a few problems... especially in defence. We certainly haven't got a goalkeeper like Gordon Banks," he said.
Blatter: FIFA president Sepp Blatter will spend time in Saudi Arabia this week hoping to drum up support for his bid to be re-elected to a fourth mandate. "I know very well that the best way to win Arab support for my candidature is to come to Saudi Arabia," said Blatter. First elected in 1998, Blatter is currently in his third term as president of FIFA and hopes to get re-elected in June 2011.
Anelka: Nicolas Anelka, 31, has given the broadest hint yet that he is ready to pledge his future to Chelsea. Discussions with Anelka's representatives had originally stalled, allegedly over his desire for a £40,000-a-week pay increase, but the player is on the brink of signing a new deal. "I feel at home at Chelsea," said Anelka. "I said when I first signed that I wanted a big club and I've found a big club, so now I don't need to move anywhere else."
Rome marathon: Ethiopia's Siraj Gena shed his trainers 500 metres from the finish of the men's Rome marathon yesterday to replicate compatriot Abebe Bikila's famous barefoot victory at the 1960 Olympic Games. Gena crossed the line on the cobbled street just outside the Colosseum in two hours eight minutes 39 seconds. Fellow-Ethiopian Firehiwot Dado won the women's race for the second straight year in 2:25:27.
NYC half marathon: Kenyan Peter Kamais took advantage of an ailing Haile Gebrselassie in the men's race and Mara Yamauchi of Britain rallied in the closing miles to lead the women in the NYC Half-Marathon yesterday. Suffering from a cold, marathon world record holder Gebrselassie dropped out of the 13.1-mile race near the nine-mile mark. Kamais won the $20,000 first prize in 59 minutes 53 seconds, well ahead of compatriot Moses Kigen Kipkosgei.
Golf: Yoko Ishikawa, the 13-year-old sister of Japanese golfing sensation Ryo, was brought down to earth with a bump in her first outing in a professional tournament last weekend. Just a year out of elementary school, Ishikawa accepted an invitation to play on a sponsors exemption at the $775,600 T-Point Ladies event in Kagoshima. She ended the Japan LPGA tournament with the worst total score in the field at 24-over 168.
Basket, NBA: The Boston Celtics derailed Dallas Mavericks' bid to move into second place in the Western Conference with a 102-93 victory on Saturday. Paul Pierce scored 29 points for the Atlantic Division leading Celtics, who won their fourth successive game, while Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas, the Southwest Division's top team, with 28 points.
Swimming: Samantha Marshall, the grand-daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, has qualified to swim for her country at the Commonwealth Games in October. The 17-year-old, whose grandfather was the leader of Australia's government from 1975 to 1983, finished second behind Olympic champion Leisel Jones in the 100 metres breaststroke at the national trials.
Seoul marathon: Sylvester Teimet Kimeli won the Seoul International men's marathon ahead of three fellow-Kenyans in a race record two hours six minutes and 49 seconds yesterday. Teimet's time, a personal best for the 26-year-old, bettered the 2:07:06 set by South Africa's Gert Thys in 2004. Amane Gobena, of Ethiopia, won the women's race in 2:24:13, also a personal best. China's former London Marathon winner and Beijing Olympics bronze medallist Zhou Chunxiu was second.