Soccer Shorts: Arsenal could be without leading scorer Robin van Persie for a month after the Holland striker suffered a knee injury on international duty on Wednesday.
Van Persie - who has scored five goals in his last four appearance for the Gunners - could miss the Champions League game with Slavia Prague as well as Premier League games at Liverpool and at home to Manchester United.
"We will know later today how bad it is, but the early signs are that he will not be able to perform for us in the next four weeks," manager Arsene Wenger said.
Swiss defender Philippe Senderos (back) is also set to be out for a fortnight but at least captain William Gallas, Jens Lehmann and Tomas Rosicky should all return to contention for tomorrow's game against Bolton following their recent injury problems.
Bellamy angry
John Toshack has expressed the hope that things "will be better" next time the Wales squad spend 10 days together, but it is difficult to believe things could possibly get any worse. Visits to Cyprus and San Marino proved to be anything but a holiday for the Wales party that returned to Cardiff yesterday.
Team morale appears close to rock bottom, with the supporters' abuse in San Marino prompting Craig Bellamy to question whether he is right to make such an effort to play for his country. "Wednesday night was one of the most vicious crowds I have played in front of for Wales," said the captain. "I think I deserve a little better than that," said the West Ham forward, who played two full 90 minutes in five days shortly after undergoing groin surgery. "People can criticise me. But one thing they cannot criticise is my attitude to my country and what I do for my country."
Dida appeals ban
European soccer's governing body Uefa will review the two-match Champions League ban handed to AC Milan goalkeeper Dida at a special appeals hearing on Monday. Dida was punished after appearing to feign injury following a slap round the neck by a Celtic fan during Milan's 2-1 defeat at Celtic Park. Unless he succeeds in his appeal Dida will miss Milan's double-header against Group D leaders Shakhtar Donetsk.
Blow for Bolton
Bolton Wanderers have been refused permission to speak to Chris Coleman with a view to the Real Sociedad manager taking over from Sammy Lee. Bolton had faxed the request after sacking Lee on Wednesday but Real rejected their approach.
The Basque club, who were relegated for the first time in 40 years at the end of last season and face a financial crisis, had taken a risk in appointing the former Fulham manager who had been personally recommended by their former coach John Toshack, who has an unofficial advisory role at the club. Coleman struggled at first but recently results have picked up and they currently lie eighth, five points off a promotion place. Bolton are likely now to concentrate on the former Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell, having also had an approach for the Birmingham City manager Steve Bruce rejected. Bolton have put Archie Knox in temporary charge of the first team.
Brazil leave it late
Brazil scored four late goals with a mixture of luck, brilliance and farce to complete a 5-0 drubbing of Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.
Colombia played out their second goalless draw in three days, away to Bolivia, and Chile and Paraguay won at home to kick-start their campaigns in Wednesday's other South American games.
Chile beat neighbours Peru 2-0 in Santiago and Paraguay battled to a 1-0 win over Uruguay in Asuncion.
Argentina, 2-0 winners in Venezuela on Tuesday, were left as the only side with a maximum six points from two games in the single South American group.
Brazil and Paraguay have four each, followed by Uruguay, Chile and Venezuela on three, Colombia on two, Peru and Bolivia one and Ecuador on none.
Playing their first home game for two years and first at the hallowed Maracana for seven, Brazil made heavy work of Ecuador for the first 70 minutes when only Vagner Love's 19th-minute goal separated the sides. With Ecuador looking increasingly capable of snatching an equaliser and the 70,000 crowd growing impatient, the game suddenly lurched in Brazil's direction.
The goal glut begin with a fortuitous effort in the 73rd minute when Ronaldinho appeared to turn Kaka's apparently innocuous long-range effort into the goal.
