Sport in Short: Football

MARCO SIMONE, the 23-year-old Milan forward, is the only uncapped player in the Italian squad for their World Cup qualifier in Malta on Saturday. Roberto Baggio, of Juventus, is absent because of a cracked rib suffered in the previous qualifier against Scotland in Glasgow.

ITALIAN SQUAD (v Malta, World Cup Group One, Valletta, Saturday): Pagliuca (Sampdoria), Marchegiani (Torino); D Baggio (Juventus), Mannini (Sampdoria), Di Chiara, Apolloni (both Parma), Baresi, Maldini, Costacurta (all Milan), Corini (Sampdoria), Eranio, Evani, Albertini, Donadoni (all Milan ), Bianchi (Internazionale), Vialli, Casiraghi (both Juventus), Lentini, Simone (Milan), Mancini (Sampdoria), Signori (Lazio).

THE final of the Brazilian Cup in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday ended in chaos with furious Fluminense players fighting riot police who had come on to the pitch to protect the referee, Jose Aparecido de Oliveira. Internacional of Porto Alegre beat Fluminense 1-0 with a disputed penalty seven minutes from time in the second leg, to level the aggregate score at 2-2 and win the two-legged final on away goals.

FA VASE Fourth-round draw: Bridlington v Curzon Ashton; Burscough v Cammell Laird; Gresley v Bridgnorth; Hinckley v Pelsall Villa; Dunston FB v Durham; Bilston v Ashton Utd; Rothwell v Knowsley; Newport (IoW) v Walthamstow Pennant or Lowestoft; Evesham v Clevedon; Harefield v Canvey Island; Bourne or Peacehaven v Sittingbourne; Tring v Banstead; Buckingham Town v First Tower Utd or Paulton; Witney or Forest Green v Hailsham; Barton or Diss v Tiverton; Hoddesdon v Tunbridge Wells. (Ties to be played 16 January).

SUNDAY'S LATE RESULT: International friendly (Niamey): Niger 0 Ghana 1 (Mamoudou 11).