Soccer Shorts

Today'sother stories in brief

Today'sother stories in brief

Fenerbahce snatch win

Fenerbahce substitute Semih Senturk grabbed a late winner to earn a 3-2 victory over Sevilla in their Champions League first knockout round, first leg tie at Sukru Saracoglu last night.

Striker Mateja Kezman had put the home side ahead in the 17th minute with a close-range header but Sevilla drew level six minutes later when Fenerbahce defender Edu deflected a cross into his own net. Fenerbahce edged back in front in the 57th minute when Lugano met a corner from Alex with a header that left goalkeeper Andres Palop standing. Sevilla equalised again within 10 minutes when Julien Escude fired the ball home from close range.

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Semih sealed the match in the 87th minute when his shot took a slight deflection off a Sevilla defender and beat Palop.

Aguero out of Bolton game

Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero has been handed a two-match ban by Uefa, the Primera Liga club have confirmed. Aguero was shown a red card in last week's Uefa Cup last-32 first leg against Bolton for spitting after reacting badly to a challenge from Matt Taylor.

Atletico appealed against the decision, believing Aguero was spitting at the floor and not in the direction of an opponent, but the 19-year-old Argentinian was today suspended for two matches.

That means Aguero will miss tonight's second leg against Bolton at the Vicente Calderon, where Atletico will need to overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first match if they are to progress.

Pitch battle for Bayern

Bayern Munich's European campaign could end embarrassingly prematurely tonight, having been jolted by Aberdeen's performance in last week's 2-2 draw, but Ottmar Hitzfeld expects his players to raise their game and power into the last 16. And he claims Bayern's first-class pitch will allow them to play to their strengths. "On a better pitch than the one in Aberdeen last week, we hope to prove our superiority tomorrow."

Arteta back for Everton

Everton will have Mikel Arteta back for tonight's Uefa Cup second leg game against Brann Bergen after missing the 2-0 win in the first leg with a groin problem. Otherwise David Moyes has a near fully-fit squad to choose from.

Brann boss Mons Ivar Mjelde has a major doubt over 27-year-old defender Erlend Hanstveit, who is struggling with a thigh injury. If he fails to make it, Everton's Tim Cahill's Australian squad colleague Michael Thwaite will come in.

Dawson out for Spurs

Michael Dawson's hamstring injury rules him out of Tottenham's Uefa Cup last 32 clash against Slavia Prague but the defender is still a possibility for Sunday's League Cup final. Captain Ledley King (knee) has been training but may not be risked in the second leg against the Czech side, while Alan Hutton is ineligible. Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee), Gareth Bale (foot), Gilberto (calf) and Kevin-Prince Boateng (hamstring) are sidelined.

Tottenham: (Provisional squad): Cerny, Robinson, Chimbonda, Lee, Tainio, O'Hara, Kaboul, Rocha, Woodgate, Huddlestone, Zokora, Jenas, Lennon, Malbranque, Taarabt, Berbatov, Keane, Bent.

Vogts quits Nigeria

Berti Vogts has stepped down as coach of Nigeria, citing irreconcilable differences with the Nigerian Football Association.

The 61-year-old German has terminated his contract with the Nigerian FA, which was due to expire after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, after little more than a year in charge of the African team.

Vogts had come under increasing pressure following Nigeria's poor showing at the Nations Cup.