UEFA Cup: Lokomotiv Sofia will play their UEFA Cup second qualifying round first leg against Israel's Bney Yehuda in the Slovakian town of Senec, the Bulgarian club said. UEFA said on Monday that Israeli teams must stage their home legs in neutral countries because of the ongoing conflict in Lebanon and Israel. The first leg will be on August 10. The return leg will be staged on August 24 at Lokomotiv's city rivals CSKA's Bulgarska Armija stadium as the facilities at their home ground are not adequate.
Australia: Former national captain John Kosmina has been appointed Australia's assistant coach for the 2007 Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait in Sydney on August 16, Football Federation Australia said. Kosmina, who made 60 senior appearances for the Socceroos, will work with acting head coach Graham Arnold in Australia's first match since they were eliminated in the second round of the World Cup by champions Italy. Arnold was put in charge of Australia's Asian Cup qualifiers having been assistant at the World Cup under Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who left to take up the coaching post with Russia after the finals in Germany.
Violent Reaction: Steaua Bucharest Portuguese goalkeeper Carlos Fernandes broke a photographer's camera during the Champions League second preliminary round, second leg match against NK Gorica of Slovenia on Wednesday. Television pictures showed the keeper hitting the camera of sport daily Gazeta Sporturilor's photographer who was trying to take shots of Carlos sitting on the bench after twisting his ankle during the pre-match warm-up. Last month Carlos accused Romanian journalists of having a "hostile attitude" against him because he was a foreigner. Steaua beat NK Gorica 3-0 for a 5-0 aggregate victory and a third qualifying round clash with Belgium's Standard Liege.
Di Vaio joins Monaco: Italian striker Marco Di Vaio has joined Monaco from Valencia on a two-year deal, the Ligue 1 club announced. The 30-year-old was loaned to the principality club by the Liga side last January. The former Juventus forward, who was omitted from the Italian World Cup winning squad, has scored five goals from 15 appearances in Ligue 1.
Wigan: Villarreal's Ecuador international Luis Antonio Valencia will play next season on loan at English side Wigan Athletic, the Primera Liga club said yesterday. The attacking midfielder, who turns 21 today, was a member of the Ecuador squad who competed in the World Cup finals in Germany, and has won 21 caps. He joined Villarreal from El Nacional on a five-year contract last year and from January he played on loan at Recreativo Huelva.
Titov: Spartak Moscow captain Yegor Titov underwent surgery yesterday after breaking his jaw in their Champions League qualifying draw with Moldova's Sherif Tiraspol. The Russia playmaker also suffered concussion in a clash of heads early in the second half of Wednesday's 0-0 second round, second leg tie at home to Moldovan champions Sherif Tiraspol. Spartak squeezed past Sherif on the away goals rule after last week's 1-1 draw in Tiraspol. They now face Czech champions Slovan Liberec on Aug. 8 and 23 for a place in the money-spinning group phase of the competition.