Sporting briefs...
Rude gesture: Fans smashed a visiting coach's car and tried to charge into the away team's dressing room after a match in eastern China, saying it was in response to a player raising a middle finger at the crowd, a newspaper reported. During half-time...
Rude gesture: Fans smashed a visiting coach's car and tried to charge into the away team's dressing room after a match in eastern China, saying it was in response to a player raising a middle finger at the crowd, a newspaper reported. During half-time in last weekend's Super League match between Hangzhou-based home side Zhejiang Lucheng and Tianjin, home fans jeered and threw rubbish at Tianjin substitute Li Xingcan while he was warming up on the pitch. Yesterday's Beijing Times reported that after the match, which Zhejiang lost 3-1, several thousand home fans gathered outside the Tianjin dressing room chanting "Number 14, come out! Tianjin apologise".
Ritual oath: A ritual oath taken by the players of Bulgarian second division team Minyor Bobov Dol on the eve of Orthodox Easter has failed to have its desired effect. Coach Dimitar Sokolov, angered by rumours that his players had accepted money to lose a match, decided to revive a traditional ritual established by Bulgarian rebels during their fight for liberation from Ottoman rule in the 19th century. The players were made to swear under oath in front of the Bible, a pistol and a knife used in World War Two that they would try their utmost to win the match. Minyor, however, were far from impressive on the pitch in a 2-1 defeat by Velbuzhd. They are in danger of being relegated to the country's amateur championship.
New Coach: Portuguese Premier League club Maritimo have appointed Spaniard Alberto Pazos as their new coach. Pazos, 42, replaces Ulisses Morais who resigned last week following a run of poor results. He has previously coached Portuguese teams Farense and Braga and Spanish second division club Pontevedra. Maritimo, who drew 1-1 with Naval at home on Saturday, are ninth in the 16-team league with 30 points.
In Holland: Ajax Amsterdam missed the chance to go level with Dutch leaders PSV Eindhoven yesterday after they were held to a 2-2 draw at RKC Waalwijk. The capital side slipped to third place after AZ Alkmaar beat NAC Breda 4-1 to move the UEFA Cup quarter-finalists up to second. With three matches remaining PSV, who lost 2-1 against NEC Nijmegen on Saturday, are top with 68 points, two more then Alkmaar and Ajax.
In France: Sedan vs Toulouse 0-2; Marseille vs Lille 4-1.