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Today's other soccer stories in brief

Ireland get the win but come up short

Republic of Ireland U-17 3  Austria U-17 0

THE REPUBLIC of Ireland Under-17s got the win they needed against Austria yesterday in their final Uefa Championship Elite qualifier in Greece, but missed out on top spot to the mini-group hosts.

But despite Aiden O’Brien’s brace and a headed strike from Kevin Knight sealing a 3-0 victory for Ireland, the resolute Greeks staged a late turnaround to score twice and nick the group with a 2-1 win over Finland. They topped the table on seven points, one ahead of second-placed Ireland.

Coach Seán McCaffrey said: “To be within one minute of reaching the European Championships is very disappointing for the boys. They can be extremely proud of their performance, not just today against Austria but over the week.”

Ireland lost star striker Daniel Purdy on 25 minutes with a suspected broken metatarsal and his replacement, George Smith, was sent off for a second yellow card on 47 minutes.

Hughes will accept Ivory Coast post if it is offered

MARK HUGHES is on a shortlist of three candidates to take charge of Ivory Coast at this summer’s World Cup and will accept the position if it is offered to him, according to sources close to the former Manchester City manager.

Hughes is on the list with Sven-Goran Eriksson, another former City manager, and a third candidate, reportedly Bernd Schuster, the former Real Madrid head coach.

Ivory Coast dismissed Vahid Halilhodzic last month, shortly after the country’s disappointing performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, when, led by Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, they failed to progress beyond the quarter-final stage.

Hughes has been out of work since City dismissed him five days before Christmas. His first job in management was a successful five-year spell in charge of Wales, which ended in 2004. He is understood to be keen to broaden his coaching experience by managing at a World Cup.

Portsmouth in no rush to sell players

PORTSMOUTH ADMINISTRATOR Andrew Andronikou insists the club will not rush into selling players despite yesterday being given permission to do so by the Premier League. Portsmouth appealed to the Premier League last month to be allowed to sell players outside the transfer window in a bid to ease their financial troubles but that was rejected.

However, following a board meeting last week where Portsmouth’s nine-point penalty for going into administration was confirmed, the Premier League have decided to grant them permission to make sales in certain circumstances. Player sales would enable them to reduce their considerable debts, but Andronikou stressed: “This has effectively given us an option if we need it but at this moment I want to emphasise we’re not necessarily going to sell players. At the moment we don’t necessarily need (the money from sales). We’re in a semi-final (FA Cup) and that’s obviously given us working capital to play with.”

Zola gets qualified backing

WEST HAM’S co-owner David Sullivan has offered Gianfranco Zola his public backing and said the club remain “100 per cent behind the manager”.

But Sullivan qualified that support by admitting that he is in no position to lure any other “ideal candidate” with seven matches remaining to preserve their Premier League status.

A 3-1 defeat to Wolves on Tuesday night left West Ham three points clear of the cut-off.

“I don’t think bringing in an Iain Dowie mark II will make us a better team. I just think the ideal candidates will not want to come for seven games not knowing whether you are going to stay in the Premier League. If the manager walks, it’s a different scenario.

“But the bottom line is we’re behind the manager.”

Doyle targets two more victories

KEVIN DOYLE believes two more wins should guarantee Wolves another season in the Premier League and insisted: “When we play well, we can get points against anyone.”

Doyle turned in another outstanding performance for Mick McCarthy’s side in their 3-1 success over West Ham at Upton Park. He scored his seventh goal of the campaign and again excelled as the lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation.

Doyle said: “We’ve beaten Tottenham twice and drawn with Villa twice this season, two good teams fighting for fourth spot in the Premier League.

“It shows when we play well, we can get points against anyone. We have confidence now and we can see ourselves creeping towards that 36-38 points, whatever is going to be needed.”