Soccer news in brief

Cannavaro's doctors banned

TWO Juventus doctors have been banned from soccer for two months after their mishandling of Fabio Cannavaro’s treatment for an insect sting.

Bartolomeo Goitre and Luca Stefanini were punished after a documentation mix-up meant Cannavaro did not receive an exemption for an emergency cortisone injection for the sting last year and subsequently failed a drugs test.

DUNFERMLINE’S appeal for reinstatement in to the Scottish Cup was upheld yesterday at Hampden.

The Fife club have been ordered to replay their fourth-round tie against Stenhousemuir at their opponents’ Ochilview home and fined around €35,000.

The Pars’ expulsion came mainly as the result of fielding Calum Woods despite the Scottish Football Association’s suspensions list declaring him banned for the match.

Mancini sets sights on midfield duo

MANCHESTER City manager Roberto Mancini is reportedly interested in signing midfield duo Fernando Gago and Mathieu Flamini before the transfer window closes.

The Italian hopes Real Madrid’s Gago and AC Milan’s Flamini can follow Patrick Vieira, who joined the Eastlands outfit from Inter Milan.

“I need players,” Mancini said. “Perhaps Real Madrid will give me Gago, maybe Milan (will give me) Flamini . . . ”

Flamini was strongly linked with a loan switch to Eastlands earlier in the week but the Serie A outfit claimed they had yet to receive an official offer. The former Arsenal player has failed to earn a regular place under coach Leonardo and is keen for first-team football in the coming months to ensure a place in France’s World Cup squad.

Real’s Argentina international Gago has not been a regular with the Spanish giants and has been linked with a move away from the Bernabeu this month.

Gallas gets a let-off from  FA for 'assault' on Davies

WILLIAM Gallas will face no disciplinary action for his challenge on Mark Davies on Wednesday night, which was likened to “assault” by the Bolton Wanderers manager, Owen Coyle.

Gallas, the Arsenal defender, lunged in clumsily on the midfielder who was left crumpled in agony and was carried off on a stretcher. Bolton initially feared that he had suffered major damage to an ankle, although the 21-year-old appears to have escaped serious injury.

The referee, Alan Wiley, did not award a free-kick and Coyle confronted him at full-time to ask why. The manager reported that “it’s fair to say that what he (Wiley) said was that he never saw it”.

That would have left Gallas open to retrospective action from the English Football Association but it has emerged that Wiley informed the governing body he did view the incident and merely saw two players coming together, having stretched for the ball.

As such, the FA has no scope to investigate further.

 Zambia and Cameroon book places

ZAMBIA and Cameroon reached the African Nations Cup quarter-finals as a dramatic final day in Group D saw Gabon – top before kick-off – miss out on qualification.

Goals from Rainford Kalaba and James Chamanga earned Zambia a 2-1 victory against Gabon in Benguela despite substitute Fabrice Do Marcolino’s late consolation.

Cameroon booked their place in the last eight after twice coming from behind to seal a 2-2 draw against Tunisia in Lubango.

Cameroon fell behind to a Amine Chermiti goal. Samuel Eto’o equalised, before an own goal from Aurelien Chedjou restored the advantage for Tunisia. But Landry N’Guemo responded to book a plave in next stage.

James’s move to Stoke back on

• ENGLAND international goalkeeper David James's loan move to Stoke City from Portsmouth may be back on.

The clubs have renewed talks over a deal which collapsed last week due to a dispute over pay.

• SUNDERLAND were working to tie up their move for Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon last night as manager Steve Bruce closed in on his first January signing.

The 26-year-old was heading for Wearside with a view to tying up a €2.3 million switch from Sheffield United.

• JO, the 22-year brazil striker, has joined Galatasaray on loan from Manchester City until the end of the current, the Turkish club have announced yesterday on their official website.

• ENGLISH League One side Gillingham have completed the signing of Republic of Ireland under-21 international Darren Dennehy from Cardiff City on a one-month loan deal.