DHAKA: Two people were shot dead and 40 injured when hundreds of rival supporters fought a pitched battle during a football match in southern Bangladesh, reports said today.

What started a quarrel between two men from opposing sides erupted into a major brawl during a game between tribals and bengali speaking settlers, the Associated Press of Bangladesh (APB) news agency reported.

The army was called in to restore order. APB said it was unclear who opened fire as relatives of the dead men, from the dominant Chakma tribe, accused the police who denied using weapons.

Seles notches hat-trick of titles

TOKYO: Monica Seles captured her third straight Princess Cup championship with a three-set victory over Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain. Seles rallied after losing the first set to take the match 4-6 6-3 6-4, beating Sanchez Vicario in the event for the third straight year.Seles said the victory was `pure luck.' ``A couple of shots went my waywhen it could have gone either way,'' she said.

Lennox Lewis retains WBC title

UNCASVILLE: Lennox Lewis kept his title but Zeljko Mavrovic, the unknown contender from Croatia, kept his word by taking the champion to 12 unexpectedly tough rounds before the Briton retained the World Boxing Council heavyweight title on a unanimous decision on Saturday.

Mavrovic, with the awkward style of a schoolboy but the chin of a giant, absorbed very hard punches from Lewis's reputedly awesome right hand. But while the challenger was bloodied, he was never off his feet nor close to being knocked out.

Egyptian women break tradition

CAIRO: Thirty players rush on to the pitch in Cairo stadium, indulging in the carefree banter common to footballers throughout the world. On the sidelines their watchful parents wait to escort them home after training.``After all, they are only girls,'' said the mother of one of the players on Egypt's first women's national soccer team. Egypt demolished a traditional malebastion of sport this year when it set up a national team for women and then launched the Egyptian Association for Women's Football.