Nigeria defender Ugo Njoku has been banned for three games for lashing out at Australia’s Samantha Kerr with her elbow during her side’s 2-0 defeat in their World Cup Group D match in Winnipeg.
The offence by Njoku, who came on as a 52nd-minute substitute, went unpunished during the game but FIFA’s disciplinary committee later examined the video footage and handed her the ban.
With Nigeria unlikely to progress in the tournament, Njoku will miss the final group game against the United States plus the country’s next two official matches.
Jokanovic to lead Maccabi Tel Aviv
Israeli treble winners Maccabi Tel Aviv have appointed former Watford manager Slavisa Jokanovic as their new manager, the club announced.
Serbian Jokanovic led Watford to promotion to the English Premier League last season after they finished runners-up to Bournemouth in the Championship.
“We are extremely pleased to secure the services of Slavisa, especially after his recent success and the obvious interest of other clubs,” Maccabi owner Mitch Goldhar said on the club’s website.
Violence halts Uruguay league final
Nacional are seven minutes or an Uruguayan FA (AUF) tribunal ruling from winning the 2014-15 league title after the final against bitter rivals Penarol was suspended due to crowd violence.
The referee suspended Sunday’s match at the Centenario seven minutes from the end of extra-time with Nacional leading 3-2.
Nacional’s veteran striker Alvaro Recoba had just had a penalty saved by Pablo Migliore and Penarol fans tried to invade the pitch.
Fans fought with riot police, ripped up seats and flung them towards the pitch.
An AUF disciplinary tribunal will decide whether the remaining seven minutes should be played or Nacional declared champions.
New QPR appointee
Relegated Queens Park Rangers have appointed Malaysian businessman Ruben Gnanalingam as co-chairman alongside owner Tony Fernandes.
Gnanalingam joins Fernandes, chief executive Lee Hoos and director of football Les Ferdinand in the Championship club’s senior management team.
“We have a lot of work to do in terms of re-establishing the traditions of QPR but with the two of us working at closer quarters with the senior management team... we believe we can create a positive future,” Malaysian Fernandes said in a news release.
Rangers are coached by Chris Ramsey.
Aston Villa aware of Grealish pictures
Aston Villa have said they are “aware of the photographs circulating” of Jack Grealish after the midfielder was pictured apparently drunk on holiday in Tenerife.
Several photographs of the 19-year-old lying on the floor were posted on Twitter by Briony King, who described the footballer as being “paralytic”.
King later claimed she had no idea who the person in the photographs was when they were originally put up on Sunday, after receiving a number of responses through social media.
Villa announced in a statement they will now have talks with Grealish over the incident.
Lille must pay Genk for Origi
Lille have been ordered to pay Genk €300,000 for the 2010 transfer of Divock Origi.
The Belgium striker, now with Liverpool, began his footballing education in his homeland with Genk, leaving them at the age of 15 before signing youth terms with Ligue 1 side Lille.
Genk appealed to FIFA’s dispute resolution chamber seeking a ‘training compensation’ fee but were denied as they had not offered a contract to Origi before his departure.
Genk, though, successfully argued to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that they could not offer Origi a contract under Belgian law because he was under the age of 16 at the time.
Decision looms for Jackson Martinez
Porto forward Jackson Martinez will make a decision in the coming days on where he will play his football next season.
The Colombia international has been linked with a move away from the Estadio Dragao this summer, with top European clubs including Arsenal reportedly keen to acquire the highly-rated striker.
Milan last week confirmed their interest in the 28-year-old and reports in the Italian press claim Martinez is on the verge of signing, but he insists he has not made his mind up yet.
“I’m as close to Milan as I am to other clubs,” Martinez said to Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola. “In the next few days I will decide my future.”