Brazil's coach sacked

Mano Menezes was sensationally sacked as Brazil coach yesterday, dealing a hammer blow to the hosts of the 2014 World Cup, local media reported. Menezes, 50, took over from Dunga following the team's elimination in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup finals. But he had come under intense pressure after the five-time world champions' failure at the 2011 Copa America, where they lost in the last-eight to Paraguay, and at the Olympic Games in London this summer. Menezes, who was axed after a meeting with the Brazilian Football Confederation president Jose Maria Marin, oversaw 20 wins in his time at the helm, six draws and five defeats. His job had been on the line since Brazil's latest attempt to win Olympic gold ended in humiliation after a lacklustre 2-1 loss to underdogs Mexico at Wembley in August. Media speculation has already linked former Selecao boss Luis Felipe Scolari with a return to the hot-seat after he guided Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002.