Match winger

A lapwing left Brazilian side Botafogo fuming after it deflected wide what would have been a match-winning shot.

Fabio's strike hit the feathered defender on its way into the Gremio goal and was deflected wide, infuriating the Botafago striker.

"Had the damn bird not crossed the line of the shot I would have scored the winner," he said.

His team-mates were also furious and said they were disappointed the bird had escaped the incident injury-free.

"Unfortunately not," said Ademilson when asked if the lapwing had been injured. "It rolled on the grass and then flew away again."

The match ended in a 1-1 draw and Gremio fans left the ground chanting "Quero-Quero" - the Portuguese word for the local breed of lapwing.

Hair raising

Desperate football players in the Dutch village of Putbroek are going to cover their pitch in human hair to keep away wild pigs which keeping digging it up in search of worms.

Local officials wanted to shoot the pigs but protests from animal lovers meant they had to re-think their plans.

Farmers in the north of the country have been using the hair method for centuries - apparently the pigs are scared away by the human smell.

Alderman Sjra Dirks welcomed the idea: "It will cost nothing and if it works we don't need to shoot the pigs.

"I'll send my employees to get a few bags of human hair from the local hairdressers."

Happy daze

Robert Karlsson was hit on the head by a wayward drive from fellow Swede Anders Forsbrand during the Lancome Trophy on Friday - and started to play better.

Karlsson was one over when he was hit on the sixth but, after a 20-minute break for treatment, he went on to birdie the hole and collect two more on his way to a 69.

"For a while I saw stars and I had to stop for medical treatment for about 20 minutes," Karlsson said.

"It wasn't too bad for the rest of the round, although I felt a bit dizzy.

"It feels like I've played a round after a couple of beers."

Karlsson has endured an eventful week, after having his clubs stolen at last week's Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

He then spent an afternoon before the Lancome persuading French customs to allow through a new set.

"They say that bad things happen in threes, so I'm just waiting to see what disaster hits next," said Karlsson.