Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou announced Wednesday that 85 of the cash-strapped club's employees have been made redundant. But he added he was receiving "enquiries on a daily basis" regarding a takeover for the bottom of the table Premier League side and that no players, who comprise many of Pompey's biggest earners, had been sacked.

Defending champions Pohang Steelers put their AFC Champions League challenge back on track Wednesday with a narrow 2-1 victory, but Japanese powerhouse Gamba Osaka were held 1-1 at home. South Korea's Pohang regained their winning touch after a surprise loss to Adelaide United last week, with a dramatic last few minutes against Japan's Sanfrecce Hiroshima at the Steelyard.

Chester City was wound up by a British court on Thursday over a 26,000-pound unpaid tax bill - but a group of die-hard fans vowed to resurrect the 125-year-old football club. The club, based in northwest England, owed a total of 26,125 pounds (39,000 dollars, 28,700 euros) to the British tax authority, HM Revenue and Customs.

Veteran Arsenal defender Sol Campbell believes he could yet make a dramatic return to England duty in this year's World Cup finals in South Africa. The odds appear stacked against the 35-year-old, who was playing for fourth-tier Notts County at the start of the season before returning to the Gunners, one of his former clubs.

Results in the AFC Champions League on Tuesday:Group AEsteghlal (IRI) v Al Jazira (UAE)Al Gharafa (QAT) v Al Ahli (KSA)Group BAl Wahda (UAE) v Bunyodkor (UZB)Al Ittihad (KSA) v Zobahan (IRI)Group EKawasaki Frontale (JPN) 1 (Kikuchi 39) Beijing Guoan (CHN) 3 (Griffiths 36, Wang Changqing 64, 86)Melbo

Rafael Benitez defended his Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on Wednesday after it was confirmed the midfielder would escape official censure for an alleged V-sign at a referee. Television pictures appeared to show England international Gerrard gesturing angrily towards referee Andre Marriner after he was booked during a 1-0 Premier League defeat away to Wigan on Monday.

German legend Franz Beckenbauer pleaded on Wednesday for the rules of football to be left as they are, warts and all, because refereeing errors can be part of the sport's charm. "Leave football as simple and as clear as it is, together with all its mistakes," Beckenbauer, a member of the executive committee of FIFA, the sport's governing body, told the German daily Bild.

Much-travelled French coach Philippe Troussier is vying with Dutch master Guus Hiddink to be the Ivory Coast's coach at the World Cup finals in June, a Japanese newspaper reported on Wednesday. "I got an offer (from the Ivory Coast). But there is another candidate that is Mr. Hiddink," Troussier, who led Japan to the second round of the 2002 World Cup, told the Nikkan Sports daily.

Birmingham did their best to make amends for their FA Cup exit at the hands of Portsmouth by sending the crisis club nearer relegation with a 2-1 victory at Fratton Park here on Tuesday.

Cameron Jerome's double put Birmingham, beaten 2-0 by Portsmouth in their FA Cup quarter-final at Fratton Park on Saturday, on course for a win that moved the Midlands club up into eighth in the Premier League table.

And a stoppage time header from Nigeria striker Nwanko Kanu, who scored the goal that won Portsmouth the 2008 FA Cup final, came too late for the struggling south coast side.

Scottish Football League tables after Tuesday's matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):First DivisionDundee 25 13 9 3 36 22 48Inverness CT 25 11 9 5 44 28 42Ross County 24 12 6 6 35 28 42Queen of South