World Cup boost for Poborsky

PRAGUE, May 28, (AFP/GNA) - Czech international Karel Poborksy received a pre-World Cup boost Saturday after seeing his unfashionable Ceske Budejovice club promoted to the top-flight.

Poborsky, 34, the most capped Czech player in history with 112 appearances, started playing for Ceske Budejovice after acrimoniously splitting with Sparta Prague in December last year.

The ex-Manchester United, Lazio and Benfica star has been playing in front of crowds amounting a few hundred rather than the tens of thousands that used to see him play.

Poborsky has been selected as a key player in the Czech World Cup squad with manger Karel Bruckner saying he was unworried Poborsky had stepped down a division.

The Czechs have been drawn in the same opening World Cup group as Italy, the United States and Ghana.