It's a hole different ball game

PRAGUE - A dark-haired girl kicks a white soccer ball gently towards a black eight ball, then wrings her hands in despair as she fails to sink it in the corner pocket to seal a victory.

Katerina Ziegelova, a 26-year-old clerk, is one of the pioneers of footballpool, the latest addition to the hybrid sports family.

The Czech footballpool league has just kicked off in Prague, after the sport was showcased in its inaugural world championships in the Czech capital in February.