GENEVA (AFP) - The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday allowed former Greece coach Fernando Santos, now in charge of his homeland Portugal, to keep coaching pending his appeal against a Fifa ban.

"Mr. Santos is able to perform his coaching duties until the CAS arbitration concludes," the Swiss-based court said in a statement.

Santos wants the CAS to overturn an eight-match suspension handed down by Fifa for unsporting conduct during Greece's World Cup round of 16 match against Costa Rica in July.

The full-time score at the match in the Brazilian city of Recife was 1-1, and Costa Rica dumped Greece out of the tournament after the penalty shoot-out ended 5-3.

Santos verbally abused officials during the match, and was banned from the touchline after extra time, before being slapped with the sanction by Fifa.

Pending a final ruling on his appeal against the ban - expected in November - Santos had asked the CAS to grant a stay of execution of the penalty.

The move was crucial for him because he has just taken the helm of Portugal, after Paulo Bento stepped down following a shock defeat to Albania in a Euro 2016 qualifier.