Soccer-Sporting hire Carlos Carvalhal as coach

LISBON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Sporting have hired former Maritimo coach Carlos Carvalhal to replace Paulo Bento who resigned earlier this month, the Portuguese club said in a statement on Sunday.

Carvalhal has signed a deal for the rest of the season with the option to extend the contract for next season. The 43-year-old coached Maritimo from February until September, when he resigned due to poor results at the start of the current season.

Carvalhal led Vitoria de Setubal to win the Portuguese League Cup in 2008, beating Sporting in the final. In 2002 he became the first Portuguese coach to take a second division side -- Leixoes -- to the UEFA Cup, as defeated finalists in the Portuguese Cup.

Paulo Bento led Sporting to four consecutive second-places in the Portuguese Premier League, but resigned on Nov.6 after a run of poor results. Sporting are eighth in the standings, 11 points behind leaders Braga.

(Reporting by Shrikesh Laxmidas; Editing by Justin Palmer; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)