Djukic: Primera Liga strugglers Hercules have named Miroslav Djukic as their new coach. Former Serbia boss Djukic replaces Esteban Vigo, who was sacked following Sunday’s 4-0 defeat at home to Osasuna which left the newly-promoted club at the foot of the table. The 45-year-old has agreed an initial deal until the end of the season.
O’Brien: Bolton midfielder Joey O’Brien has joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan until the end of the season. The Owls have signed the midfielder on loan deadline day after he saw his first-team chances at the Reebok Stadium limited this season due to injury.
Stanislawski: St Pauli coach Holger Stanislawski could leave the club in the summer since talks over a new deal appear to have stalled. The 41-year-old has been in charge of the Hamburg suburban side since 2006 and still has a contract until 2012, but a report in the Bild newspaper today claims he can leave the club this coming summer for just a quarter of a million euros.
Coleman: Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has been hit by a fresh injury blow with the news yesterday that Seamus Coleman has been forced to withdraw from the squad through injury. The 22-year-old Everton midfielder has not trained all week because of an ankle injury, and after assessment yesterday, the decision was taken to send him back to Merseyside.
Brandao: Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier confirmed yesterday that striker Brandao, currently under investigation for rape, is to join Brazilian club Cruzeiro on loan until the end of the year. Dassier added that Brandao “obviously confirmed that he would answer the summons of the French justice system. He seemed serene and confident in the outcome of the judicial investigation.”
U-21 friendlies: Lithuania vs Latvia 1-2; Denmark vs England 0-4; Ukraine vs Iceland 3-2; Belgium vs Scotland 1-0; Hungary vs Austria 0-2; France vs Spain 3-2; Italy vs Sweden 3-1.
Figure skating: Russia announced yesterday it will host the world figure skating championships next month instead of Japan after the earthquake disaster forced it to renounce the event. A spokeswoman for the Russian Figure Skating Federation told AFP the event will be staged in Moscow from April 24 through May 1 following an agreement with the International Skating Union.
Basketball: The Miami Heat turned up the temperature in the fourth quarter and rallied for a 100-94 NBA victory over the Detroit Pistons. Dwyane Wade scored 24 points and Chris Bosh added 23 to lift the Heat, who trailed by 11 points late in the third quarter. Miami’s Mike Miller made a three-pointer in the final seconds of the third period, then the Heat scored the first 15 points of the fourth to take an 88-81 lead.
Tennis: Former world number one Kim Clijsters has withdrawn from the Pan Pacific Open to be held in Tokyo in September over the ongoing nuclear emergency at an atomic plant. Clijsters said she hoped to play in Japan “when it’s possible”, after earlier tweeting concerns over radiation from the Fukushima plant which was damaged in the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Athletics: Blade Runner Oscar Pistorius’ dream of competing at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games at London 2012 has moved a step closer after the South African set a new personal best. Double amputee Pistorius clocked 45.61 seconds to win the 400 metres at the Provincial Championships in Pretoria on Wednesday night, beneath the ‘B’ standard qualifying time for the World Championships, which take place in Daegu, South Korea in August and September, and the Olympic Games.
Cricket: Yuvraj Singh was India’s hero yet again as the hosts ended Australia’s 12-year-reign as World Cup champions with a five wicket quarter-final victory yesterday. The left-hander’s unbeaten 57 – his fourth 50 of a tournament where he is averaging over a hundred – saw his team home after they’d been wobbling at 187 for five. But India reached their target of 261 with 14 balls to spare. Victory set up a dream semi-final against arch-rivals Pakistan in Mohali on Wednesday.