London: England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson?s ?3 million London home has been targeted in a series of vandal attacks, police said on Tuesday.

The windows of 56-year-old Eriksson?s four-storey home were damaged after stones were thrown on Sunday and last night, police said, adding that no arrests had been made and that inquiries into the incidents were continuing.

?Sven-Goran? was also written in silver spray paint on the white pillars outside the house, The Daily Mail reported.

Villa charged with ?poaching?

London: Aston Villa have been charged with allegedly making an illegal approach for Southampton striker James Beattie, the Premier League said on Tuesday. The charge relates to comments made by Aston Villa manager David O?Leary earlier in the season. An independent commission has been appointed to investigate but no date has yet been set.

Aston Villa have a shortage of strikers after England forward Darius Vassell was ruled out of action for three months with a fractured ankle.Beattie is contracted to Southampton until the end of the 2005/06 season. Villa were unavailable for comment.

Flamengo sack Ricardo Gomes

Rio de Janeiro: Former Paris St Germain and Brazil defender Ricardo Gomes has become the third coach to be sacked by Flamengo in less than six months.

Gomes, who played for Brazil at the 1990 World Cup, paid the price after the club, which claims to be the best-supported in the country, dropped back into the relegation zone following Saturday?s 0-1 defeat at Juventude.

The decision capped an unhappy season for Gomes who was sacked as Brazil?s under-23 coach in February after they failed to qualify for the Olympic Games, losing out to Paraguay.

For Serginho

Rio de Janeiro: Sao Caetano coach Pericles Chamusca says his team wants to win the Brazilian championship for defender Serginho, who died from a heart attack during a match last Wednesday.

?This is a sad moment,? said Chamusca on Monday as the squad assembled for the first time since the match against Sao Paulo. ?We need to overcome our sadness and stay in the fight for the championship. We want to win it and offer it to our player and our friend, Serginho.?

The 30-year-old, who had been at the club since 1999, collapsed after suffering a cardio-respiratory arrest in the 59th-minute of the match at the Morumbi stadium and was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.

Club chief banned

Mexico City: The president of Mexican first division team Puebla was banned for one year on Monday after match officials were attacked by security men following a game at the club?s stadium eight days ago.

Francisco Bernat, who could have been banned for up to 10 years under local rules, was also fined 300,000 pesos ($26,000), Mexican football federation (FMF) general secretary Decio de Maria Serrano told a news conference following a disciplinary hearing.

China recall Li Tie

Tokyo: English-based Li Tie has been recalled to the China squad for this month?s World Cup qualifier against Hong Kong after a lengthy injury lay-off, the AFC said on Tuesday. Li has been out since breaking his leg in January but China coach Arie Haan included the Everton midfielder in the squad for the home clash on November 17.

Although he has yet to play a match this season, Li has returned to training with the English Premier League club and was rushed back by Haan, who is facing mounting injury problems. The Dutchman is already without Sun Jihai and Li Ming.

China must win their last group IV match by a wide margin to have any chance of advancing to next year?s final round of Asia qualifiers.

Burger best of year

Cape Town: Western Province flanker Schalk Burger was named South African rugby player of the year at a banquet in Johannesburg on Monday.

The 21-year-old backrower, who is the son of a former Springbok lock of the same name, is the youngest ever recipient of the award.

Cricket, India vs Australia: Fourth Test Day I, live from 9.30 am on DD Sports and DD National
Tennis, ATP Tour: Paris Masters, live from 4 pm on STAR Sports
Soccer, Champions League: Deportivo La Coruna vs Liverpool, live from 1 am (Thursday) on ESPN