Cyprus national team parts ways with Georgian soccer coach Temur Ketsbaia

Georgian coach Temur Ketsbaia lost his job with the Cyprus national team, the national federation said Friday, days after a 4-0 home loss against Kosovo in the UEFA Nations League.

The former Newcastle, Wolverhampton and AEK Athens player was in his third year with the Cyprus team now ranked No. 127 by FIFA, a drop of 20 places while he was in charge.

The president of the Cypriot football association, George Koumas, lauded Ketsbaia for his "professionalism, seriousness and proven love" for the national team after accepting in a meeting Friday that his departure is the "drastic change" that's likely needed.

"His stance honors him and comes as no surprise to those who know him," Koumas said in a written statement. "Unfortunately, neither Mr. Ketsbaia nor the Federation managed to achieve the wished-for results through this collaboration."

Cyprus lost all...