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Esteqlal Back on Track
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File photo of EsteqlalÕs Amir Hossein Sadeqi (c) celebrating after scoring a goal.
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After two successive defeats in Iran Pro League, Esteqlal will face Paykan at Azadi Stadium in the 29th week of the games on Sunday.
The Blues are in high spirits thanks to defeating Rah Ahan in quarterfinals of Iran’s Cup in a penalty shootout last week at the same venue.
Meanwhile, Fars news agency reported that Mohsen Bayati-Nia of Esteqlal can join the Blues after a long thigh injury. The team’s medical staff said that he is not able to play the whole game.
Firooz Karimi of Esteqlal said prior to the games, “By defeating Rah Ahan, the players are back on track. The victory in Iran’s Cup had a big impact on the team. The players are ready to beat Paykan.“
He added, “I know Paykan is a tough team and has good players. Their players can control the ball and use very part of the field perfectly. We were beaten twice in IPL but will do our best in the coming weeks.“
In the other IPL game, Saipa, which leads Group B of Asian Champions League, will face Saba Battery without Majid Gholamnejad and Hamid Zohani due to suspension and injury respectively.
Ali Daei, who concurrently coaches the National Team and Saipa, said, “We cannot use two of our players but the rest of the squad are physically and emotionally ready. We are defending our title. Our main focus is ACL trophy where we lead the group. Saba Battery also has 46 points and stands third.
Sepahan, Iran’s other team in Asian Champion League, has six points in the competition and stands at 3rd will face Shirin Faraz in Kermanshah. Jorvan Vieira whose side defeated Al Ittihad 1-0 in Jeddah last Wednesday said, “We are almost sure that the trophy will be ours. We have no other choice but to beat Shirin Faraz.“
The last game of the week will be played between Zob-e Ahan and Rah Ahan in Isfahan. Rah Ahan with 35 points ranks 11th while Zob-e-Ahan with 34 points is in the 13th place.
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Arsenal is Henry’s Heart
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Thierry Henry
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Barcelona striker Thierry Henry insisted Friday that he has no regrets about his move to Spain but that his former club Arsenal holds a special place in his heart.
The 30-year-old striker has been linked with a move back to England after an unsuccessful first season in Spain.
He told the BBC’s Football Focus: “I’m happy--I don’t regret leaving Arsenal.
“But there’s only one team in England for me. Everybody knows the love and affection I have for Arsenal. I was so into it, I became a fan.“
The Frenchman, who scored 174 Premier League goals in 254 appearances for Arsenal, moved to Spain last June in a 16-million-pound deal but his first season has been hit by injuries.
He has scored just seven goals in 25 appearances. But despite the criticism, the former Monaco and Juventus player claims he has no intention of leaving the Spanish club.
“People who know me will tell you, I’m the same in training, I’m the same in life--I cannot act. If I’m not happy, I’m not happy,“ he said. Newcastle are reportedly interested in brining Henry back to England.
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Levante Reach Deal With Players
Levante players have called off strike action for this weekend after reaching a deal with the club over outstanding payments.
The players had threatened not to turn up for Sunday’s fixture at Recreativo Huelva in protest at the cash-strapped club’s inability to pay salaries and bonuses from as far back as last season.
The outstanding payments are reported to reach some Û18 million ($28 million).
“Levante have reached an agreement with the players’ representatives to call off the strike action planned for April 26-27, and they have accepted the guarantees necessary to back the deal,“ the Primera Liga club said on their website.
Levante have suffered financial problems throughout the campaign because of increased expenses, lower than expected television revenue and delays on a plan to raise funds by selling their city-center stadium.
Previous strike action had been avoided with promises from the club that had failed to be honored, so this time the players had demanded firm guarantees to back any agreement.
Spanish media reported Valencia city council, the Spanish Football League (LFP) and the Spanish Players Union (AFE) helped set up an interim deal with the club for part of the money owed to be made available promptly.
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Frings: We Can Win Euro 2008
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Torsten Frings
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Germany midfielder Torsten Frings insists his side is capable of winning Euro 2008 in June to be crowned European champions for the fourth time.
“We have what it is takes to be champions,“ said Frings on the German Football League (DFL) website after Germany won the European Championships in 1972, 1980 and 1996.
“But we belong to a group of favorites which includes France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.“
Frings has missed most of the season after suffering three knee injuries and has only played eight matches for Werder Bremen this season.
His last appearance for the Germany team was in October 2007, but national coach Joachim Loew is set to name him on May 16 when he unveils his 23-man squad for Euro 2008.
“Torsten is a player who can raise his game over five, six or seven matches, he is the sort of player you want in a tournament,“ said Loew.
Germany will play Poland, Croatia and co-hosts Austria in Group B of Euro 2008.
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Torch in Japan
Heavy security and a large contingent of pro-Chinese supporters thwarted protesters’ efforts Saturday to disrupt the Japanese leg of the Olympic torch relay.
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Men’s Sitting Volleyball Wins Opener
Iran’s Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team defeated Kazakhstan on Friday night at the World Organization Volleyball for Disabled (WOVD) Intercontinental Cup, which began on Friday and continues through Tuesday (April 29).
According to MNA, Iran beat Kazakhstan in three sets 25-14, 25-10 and 25-11 in the opening match in the presence of Sir Philip Craven, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president and a number of Egyptian sport officials. The team will play Iraq on Saturday.
Iran’s Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team was beaten by Slovenia in three sets 20-25, 9-25 and 18-25 on the first day. Iranian women will face the US on Saturday.
The men team is in Group B along with Egypt, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Iraq. The Iranian women are in Group B with the US, Slovenia and Lithuania.
Rezaei Takes Fencing Bronze
Iranian fencer Mohammad Rezaei Tadi won the bronze medal in the 2008 Asian Fencing Championship in Bangkok, Thailand on Thursday.
According to MNA, Kim Won Jin of South Korea took home the gold medal in the Men’s Epee while Elmir Alimzhanov of Kazakhstan bagged the silver medal.
Rezai Tadi and Li Guojie of China jointly came in third.
Iran participated in the Asian championship and Olympics qualifiers with 24 fencers in three weapons of epee, foil and saber.
Raikkonen Ahead in Spain GP
Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen set the pace during practice at the Spanish Grand Prix, topping the time charts in the morning and afternoon sessions.
The Finn clocked 1:20.649 in the morning and, with a heavier fuel load, managed 1:21.935 in the second session.
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was more than half a second slower than Raikkonen in both sessions. But Renault enjoyed an encouraging day as Nelson Piquet Jr. and Fernando Alonso came second and third in the afternoon, reported BBC.
Raikkonen’s Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa was second quickest during first practice, but finished fifth in the second.
During the first session, world champion Raikkonen, who just shaded his Brazilian team-mate, was 0.543 seconds clear of Hamilton’s McLaren in third place.
Things got worse for the Briton in the afternoon as he ended 0.750 seconds down on Raikkonen, with even Force India’s Adrian Sutil ahead of him in 10th.
Hamilton said, “I wouldn’t say I’m more optimistic, but I wouldn’t say I’m worried. I think we just have to work hard, put our heads down, and try to find the right balance.
“But it’s very, very hard when you have two practice sessions when you maybe get 20 laps and you have to fight the correct balance of the car--especially when the wind is picking up and changing.“
Spurs Near Sweep of Suns
ÊPhoenix took away Tony Parker’s easy lay-ups just like it wanted to. So he just made jump shot after jump shot after jump shot.
The smooth San Antonio point guard burned the Suns for a career-high 41 points along with 12 assists and the Spurs rolled to a 115-99 victory Friday night to take a 3-0 series lead.
This was supposed to be a spectacular first-round match up of potential NBA champions. Instead, it’s been a Spurs smack down, with Parker leading the way.
“They were backing off on the pick-and-rolls,“ he told AP, “so I just took the shot, and it felt good tonight.“
Everything felt good for the defending NBA champions, who never trailed in winning their ninth consecutive playoff game and 13th of 14, dating to last season.
“We possibly played our best game of the year,“ Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Rower History
Iranian rower Mohsen Shadi has made history after booking an Olympic berth in the Asian Qualification Regatta at the Shanghai Water Sports Center on Saturday.
According to MNA, Shadi qualified for the final round of the Men’s Heavyweight Single Sculls among the contenders from China, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Thailand and North Korea.
He is the first Iranian rower who will participate in the Olympic Games.
A total of 25 Asian nations are battling for slots in the Olympics in the Women’s Single, Men’s Single, Lightweight Women’s Double and Lightweight Men’s Double.
Regatta Olympic competitions will begin on August 9, 2008.
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