Sporting briefs...

Domenech: A large majority of French soccer fans want coach Raymond Domenech to lead France through next year's World Cup finals in Germany, a poll showed yesterday. Domenech, who was named last July after France's quarter-final exit at Euro 2004 to eventual winners Greece, has been widely criticised for his tactics throughout the qualifying campaign. However, the poll showed that 74 per cent of the 1,005 respondents want the former under-21 coach to keep his job, with 16 per cent against.: A long-running dispute over money has ended with the Italian Football League splitting by mutual consent, allowing Serie A and Serie B to pursue their own financial interests. "This is a consensual separation that will be for the good of all," Football League president Adriano Galliani said. The league has looked after the joint interests of Serie A and Serie B since 1946. But the two divisions have been at odds since 1999 when the government passed a law allowing clubs to negotiate their own TV deals.

Senegal: Senegal have announced their intention to bid for the 2010 African Nations Cup finals, the year the World Cup comes to Africa for the first time. Senegal join a growing list of potential candidates ahead of the deadline for entries at the end of the month. Senegal's intentions were announced by the country's sports minister El Hadj Daouda Faye, who said they would propose four separate venues for the 16-team tournament.

In France: Ligue 1 - Auxerre vs Troyes 3-0; Monaco vs Metz 3-0; Nancy vs Toulouse 2-0; Nantes vs St Etienne 1-1; Bordeaux vs Sochaux 1-1; Le Mans vs Lille 1-1; Lens vs Nice 2-2; Strasbourg vs Stades Rennes 0-1.

In Spain: Primera Liga - Alaves vs Villarreal 1-1; Deportivo La Coruna vs Barcelona 3-3.

Snooker: Grand Prix SF - O'Sullivan bt Hawkins 6-5.