Portuguese top league club sacks coach

Lisbon: Portugal`s football club Pacos de Ferreira has sacked coach Costinha after losing 1-3 to Vitoria de Guimaraes, their sixth defeat in eight matches this season.

The former Monaco player took over at the northern club at the start of the season, succeeding Paulo Fonseca who moved to FC Porto. Fonseca led Pacos to third place in the Portuguese top flight last year, their best-ever showing. But Costinha struggled to maintain the momentum, losing out to Zenit St. Petersburg for a spot in the Champions League and then making a poor start to League C.