MADAGASCAR GET NEW COACH

German coach Gunter Zittel has been appointed as the new coach of Madagascar, just over week before they travel to face World Cup finalists Ivory Coast in a MTN Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
It is the first major appointment for the 55-year-old, who has previously worked as an instructor for the German Football Federation and as an assistant coach at 1860 Munich.
Zittel’s appointment, announced by the Malagasy Football Federation on Monday, is expected to be short term as Madagascar have just two matches left in the qualifiers for the 2008 MTN Africa Cup of Nations finals and are already out of the race for a place at the tournament in Ghana.
They have lost their two previous matches to both Gabon and Ivorians, conceding seven goals in the process.
Zittel replaces Herve Arsene, who handled the Madagascar side at the Cosafa Castle Cup tournament in Mozambique earlier this month.
Madagascar had earlier fired Frenchman Jean Paul Rossignol after their 3-0 home loss to the Ivorians in the Group One qualifier in Antananarivo in March.
Ivory Coast host the Indian Ocean islanders again in Bouake on June 2.