Sporting briefs...

Kiessling: Germany coach Joachim Loew called up Bayer Leverkusen striker Stefan Kiessling in his squad for their Euro 2008 qualifier against the Czech Republic. Germany will be without Miroslav Klose, because of suspension, while Mario Gomez, Mike Hanke, Oliver Neuville and Gerald Asamoah are all injured. That leaves Loew with just three forwards with international experience in Kuranyi, Podolski and Schlaudraff.

McCarthy: South Africa's new coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has said he is confident he can persuade the country's top striker Benni McCarthy to make a comeback to international football. Parreira said he intended to contact the Blackburn forward who asked last year not to be selected for the national side after achieving his ambition of playing in England.

Kenya: FIFA has told Kenya to run an 18-team premier league and ordered the former head of its football federation to account for $113,000 of development funding given to the country last year. A FIFA delegation visited Nairobi last week to help the east African country restructure its domestic league after FIFA lifted a five-month ban of the Kenya FA in March.

Petrov: The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) confirmed that Aston Villa midfielder Stilian Petrov would return to the Bulgarian squad for their Euro 2008 qualifier against Albania on March 28. The former Celtic player announced his retirement the day after their 1-0 victory over Luxembourg that put them second in Euro 2008 Group G on October 11.