Struggling China Super League team Chongqing Lifan have sacked the team's head coach, Stjepan Cordas, after a six-game losing streak in the first eight rounds this season.

The club made the announcement at a press conference Wednesday night following the team's 1-0 loss to Shenyang Jinde.

The southwestern side is at the bottom in the 15-team league standings. The last two teams will be relegated to second division, the China League, at the end of the season.

A new coaching team has been formed with Captain Wei Xin in the position of interim head coach.

Cordas, a 55-year-old Croatian, first took charge at Lifan at the beginning of this year.

(CRI English April 20, 2006)