Curci: Roma goalkeeper Gianluca Curci has taken Christian Abbiati's place in Italy's squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against France on Saturday and Ukraine four days later. Atletico Madrid's Abbiati is unavailable because of a hand injury, the Italian Soccer Federation said. Curci will understudy Gianluigi Buffon and Marco Amelia.
Dynamo Kiev: Dynamo Kiev's Sengalese defender Pape Diakhate has suffered a broken shoulder and will be out of action for three months, keeping him out of the team's Champions League campaign. Diakhate, 23, was injured in Dynamo's weekend match against Kharkiv.
Cash bonuses: Vietnam has rewarded its national team squad with cash bonuses and shares in a petroleum company after reaching the Asian Cup quarter-finals for the first time. Each player has been given 60 million dong ($3,695) and shares in the ATI Petroleum company, state media reported, after what was one of the greatest achievements in the Communist country's soccer history. The figure was equivalent to around three month's salary for most of the players.
Qualifiers postponed: The Confederation of African Football has confirmed the postponement of two African Nations Cup qualifiers because of the weekend's general election in Sierra Leone. CAF said it was postponing until Oct. 14 the decisive games in Group Nine after being told security could not be guaranteed for the match between Sierra Leone and Benin in Freetown.
Scottish League Cup: Holders Hibernian were drawn to face Motherwell in the third round of the Scottish League Cup. Full draw - Inverness Caledonian Thistle vs Gretna; East Fife vs Rangers; Falkirk vs Dundee United; Dundee vs Celtic; Hearts vs Dunfermline; Hamilton vs Kilmarnock; Hibernian vs Motherwell; Partick Thistle vs Aberdeen. Ties to played on Sept. 25/26.
Mikael Forssell: Striker Mikael Forssell has been named in Finland's 25-man squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Serbia and Poland. Forssell missed Finland's qualifier against Kazakhstan in August with a calf injury but was selected by coach Roy Hodgson yesterday for the matches against Serbia on Saturday and Poland four days later. Finland are second in qualifying Group A on 17 points, two behind Poland. Serbia are fourth on 14 points.
Hosts France made the surprise choice of wing Cedric Heymans at fullback ahead of Clement Poitrenaud for Friday's opening game of the World Cup. Halfbacks Pierre Mignoni and David Skrela will start the game at the Stade de France, team manager Jo Maso told a news conference yesterday. Remy Martin and Imanol Harinordoquy will form the backrow with Serge Betsen. Frederic Michalak and Sebastien Chabal will be on the bench.