Sporting director Franco Baldini has left AS Roma by mutual consent, the Serie A club announced Thursday.

Baldini, who in recent days said he took some of the responsibility for the Roman side's mediocre results the past two seasons, has been replaced by Walter Sabatini.

Levante has parted ways with coach Juan Ignacio Martinez after two successful seasons ended with an ongoing investigation into alleged match-fixing.

Levante sports director Manolo Salvador says Martinez will not be offered a new contract after his current deal runs out on June 30.

Five-time World Cup winner Brazil dropped to a historic low of No. 22 in the FIFA rankings on Thursday only one year before hosting the showpiece tournament.

Brazil fell three places this month as it continues to play only friendlies, including a 2-2 draw against England on Sunday. Friendlies score less than competitive matches in FIFA's calculations, which have ranked teams since 1993 across a four-year results cycle.

Swimming Australia revealed Wednesday that it had lost a major sponsor just days after its president quit over inappropriate remarks to a female team consultant.

Energy Australia confirmed to Agence France Presse that it had pulled out of its five-year sponsorship deal, but refused to comment on the reasons for its decision.

France winger Franck Ribery told German daily Bild on Wednesday that he has "never been happier" at current club Bayern Munich but says he is no rush to pen a two-year contract extension that has already been agreed.

"We have already discussed everything, and when I say yes I mean yes!" Ribery said on being asked when he would sign the new deal, which would tie him to the Bundesliga champions until 2017.

South Korea needed an equalizer in the seventh minute of injury time to earn a 1-1 draw with 10-man Lebanon in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

Hassan Maatouk put the hosts ahead in the 12th minute after some poor defending allowed the forward to collect the ball before firing low and hard past goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong.

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been named chief coach of Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F, the club said Tuesday.

Eriksson, who stepped down as technical director of United Arab Emirates side Al Nasr on Sunday, joins Guangzhou on an 18-month deal, a club official said, without giving details of the Swede's salary.

South Africa's Paralympic hero Oscar Pistorius arrived at court for the first time since being freed on bail in February over the Valentine's Day killing of his model girlfriend.

Sporting a grey suit and blue shirt and tie, and looking tense, the sprinter known as the "Blade Runner" walked through the main front entrance and headed straight to a courtroom packed with media and his family.

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta believes that the club's new-signing Neymar and World Player of the Year Lionel Messi will bring the best out of one another next season.

Neymar will be presented to the media for the first time on Monday since agreeing his move to the Catalans last month and Iniesta doesn't think there is any need to worry that a partnership between the 21-year-old and Messi will not work.

Asian champions Japan face hot regional rivals Australia on Tuesday needing just a point to become the first country to qualify for next year's World Cup alongside hosts Brazil.

In a rematch of the 2011 Asian Cup final won by Japan, the Blue Samurai are strongly tipped to book their ticket after totting up 13 points in six games to sit six clear in Group B.