6 February 8, 2020 Persepolis, Esteghlal Share Dragan Skocic Named Iran Spoils in Derby National Football Team Coach TEHRAN (Dispatches) - Dra- Skocic will start his ten- gan Skocic has been officially ure as Manager of Iran in the appointed as Team Melli’s new 2022 World Cup qualification head coach, following the depar- against Hong Kong on the 26th ture of Mark Wilmots. of March at Azadi Staduim Skocic, who had recently in Tehran, and play Cambo- parted ways with Iranian club dia five days later away from Sanat Naft Abadan, took the Home.

helm of Iran’s National Team Iran, are currently third in TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Perse- goal and Motahari sent the ball on Thursday. Group C of the qualifying polis and Esteghlal football teams into the roof of the net. The 51-year-old Croatian re- round on six points, three be- settled for a breathtaking 2-2 draw Shortly after, Persepolis put the in Iran Professional League (IPL) Blues under pressure and finally placed Wilmots after the Bel- hind second-placed Bahrain, on Thursday. leveled the match in the 89th min- gian re-signed from the post in while Iraq top the group on 11 In the match held in front of ute. Dragan Skocic December. points. 56,000 spectators at the Azadi Anthony Stokes’s strike from Stadium, Arsalan Motahari’s de- inside the area was only parried flected strike gave Esteghlal the by Esteghlal goalie Hossein Hos- lead in the 24th minute. seini into the path of substitute Copa del Rey Shocks Continue as Barca and Madrid Knocked Out However, the lead lasted just and he equalized BILBAO (AP) - Athletic Club Odegaard, who is on loan from five minutes. the match. Bilbao and Real Sociedad booked Real Madrid, put Real Sociedad put the ball into the Sepahan also drew 0-0 with their places in the semifinals of in front, before two quickfire net for the Reds after receiving a Naft Masjed Soleyman in another Spain’s Copa del Rey on an incred- goals from the impressive Alex- superb pass from Christian Osa- match. ible night of football that saw them ander Isak in the 54th and 56th guona. Persepolis lead the table with 41 knock favorites FC Barcelona and minute, the first of which was an Motahari made a brace in the points, five points ahead of Sepa- Real Madrid out of the competi- impressive volley, made it 3-0. 52nd minute. Mehdi Ghaedi han. tion. Marcelo quickly gave Real Ma- picked up the ball on the left Esteghlal are third with 33 Inaki Williams’ flicked header drid a lifeline but Mikel Merino’s flank, setting Esteghlal’s second points and one game in hand. in the 93rd minute of Athletic’s 69th minute strike re-established home game against Barcelona Real Sociedad’s lead, although saw Athletic through after a tense late goals from Rodrygo and Na- Portland Beat San Antonio game which saw them withstand cho Fernandez - the second of second half pressure from Barca, which came in the 3rd minute with home keeper Unai Simon of injury time, meant there were 125 in NBA making two key saves from Leo a few nervous moments for the PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- With Messi and Antoine Griezmann to visiting fans before the final cel- the trade deadline past and a playoff keep the scores level. Athletic Bilbao’s players celebrate Spanish forward Inaki Williams’ goal during the ebrations. race ahead, the Portland Trail Blaz- Williams’ header sent the 49,000 Spanish Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) quarter-final football match Athletic Club Bilbao Athletic and Real Sociedad join ers understood the importance of fans in the San Mames stadium against FC Barcelona at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao on Feb 06, 2020. Granada and second division Mi- their game against the San Antonio into wild celebrations and pro- the day after Real Sociedad beat Bernabeu Stadium. randes in Friday’s draw for the Spurs. duced the second surprise of Real Madrid 4-3 in the Santiago A 22nd minute goal from Martin last four. Damian Lillard had 26 points and 10 assists, Hassan Whiteside scored 17 points and tied a season- Germany’s Bauhaus Claims Saudi Osaka Suffers Shock Loss to high with 23 rebounds as the Trail Blazers beat San Antonio 125-117, Tour Lead With Third-Stage Win World Number 78 in Fed Cup Tie taking two of three games from the LONDON (Dispatches) - Former Spurs to claim the season series in matchup with playoff tiebreaker world number one Naomi Osaka suf- potential. fered a shock 6-0 6-3 loss to Sara Sor- The Blazers are 2 1/2 games be- ribes Tormo as Spain took a 1-0 lead in hind the Memphis Grizzlies for the their Fed Cup tie against Japan. 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Spurs Osaka lost her opening 10 points on on the strength of the play of Lil- are 4 1/2 games back of Memphis. lard (14 points) and McCollum (11 serve as Sorribes Tormo dominated The Blazers got a major boost points), trailing 60-59 at halftime. in the opening set of the match at La off their bench from Gary Trent While DeRozan struggled from Manga Club in Murcia. Jr., who scored 18 points. Trent’s the field (6 for 16), he helped the points late were important as he The Japanese player led 2-0 in Spurs with 9-for-9 shooting from hit four 3-pointers and scored 12 the foul line. the second set, but Sorribes Tormo, points in the fourth quarter as Port- A pair of 3-pointers in the third ranked 78th in the world, fought back. land rallied from a 92-86 deficit. quarter by Carmelo Anthony Trent, Lillard says, is giving the Bauhaus sealed his first stage win of 2020 in Saudi Arabia The winners will be one of 12 na- forced a timeout by the Spurs with Blazers something they need. 5:23 left in the third as they nursed tions in April’s new-look Fed Cup Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo cel- RIYADH (AFP) - German Phil Haussler and Mark Cavendish ‘’I think he’s giving us some- a 75-74 lead. Anthony’ kept Port- ebrates her victory over Japan’s Bauhaus grabbed the overall lead before pipping Reinardt Janse Finals. thing to be excited about,’’ Lillard land close, scoring 16 of his 20 Naomi Osaka in the Fed Cup of the Saudi Tour on Thursday with van Rensburg on the line after the “We knew Sara could make it very said. ‘’He’s been consistent. How points in the second half. victory in a bunch sprint at the end 119km ride. uncomfortable for Naomi and she Great Britain are also trying to book he’s playing on the defensive end, The Blazers also got a 10-point of the third stage in Riyadh. Bauhaus now leads former pace- how he’s getting to his spots to be performance off the bench by An- The 25-year-old was given an setter Rui Costa by three seconds stuck to the gameplan perfectly,” their place in the Fed Cup Finals effective and making shots. He’s fernee Simons. excellent lead-out by Bahrain- in the overall standings with two and they play away in Slovakia this said Spain captain Anabel Medina somebody that has to be accounted While Portland had plenty of McLaren teammates Heinrich stages remaining. Garrigues. weekend. for, especially on a night like to- contributions, Spurs Gregg Popov- night, he came up big for us.’’ ich says Portland’s success started Trent, who barely played as a with Lillard. Shaheen Helps Pakistan Bowl Bangladesh for 233 in First Test rookie, has been getting consis- ‘’It was a good game, until Da- tent minutes and is shooting nearly RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AFP) - dium pitch. an invaluable 53 run stand for the defiant 54-run stand for the sixth mian broke it open with his bas- 42% from the 3-point line on four ketball play,’’ Popovich said. ‘’I Lanky paceman Shaheen Shah Afri- Pakistan were due to bat for five seventh wicket with Taijul Islam wicket between Liton Das (33) attempts per game. mean, you know, he got through di took four wickets to help Pakistan overs but bad light forced umpires who made a resolute 24. and Mithun as the two led Bangla- ‘’It’s like you belong. I work on the double teams and split pick dismiss Bangladesh for a paltry 233 to call it a day. It was Sohail who had Islam desh’s fightback after the Pakistan everything with my coaches every and rolls and found his team- on the opening day of the first Test Bangladesh could have been caught by Yasir Shah before Paki- bowlers totally dominated the first day, it’s just paying off,’’ Trent mates and they knocked down in Rawalpindi on Friday. bowled out for inside 200 had it stan wiped off the tail with the session. said. shots.’’ Trey Lyles had a season-high 23 Shaheen recorded figures of 4-53 not been for a defiant display of second new ball as 16-year-old Sohail had dropped Mithun off a A layup by Caleb Swanigan with points and 10 rebounds, DeMar 3:16 left in the third quarter gave in 21.5 overs and was ably assisted batting from Mohammad Mithun Naseem Shah ended Mithun’s re- luckless Yasir at wide second slip DeRozan added 21 points and La- Portland its first lead since the by fellow pacer Mohammad Abbas who top-scored with 63 includ- sistance, getting him caught be- when the batsman was on 22 but Marcus Aldridge added 20 points opening quarter. But that advan- (2-19) and spinner Haris Sohail (2- ing seven fours and a six in his hind. compensated for the lapse with and eight rebounds for the Spurs. tage was short-lived as the Spurs 11) to justify Pakistan’s decision 193-minute stand. Shaheen said he was happy to do two wickets. San Antonio built a 10-point lead closed out the quarter on a 9-0 run to send Bangladesh in to bat on a Bangladesh were reeling against his part. Yasir failed to get a wicket in 22 multiple times in the first half, for a 92-86 lead after three peri- but Portland stayed within reach greenish-yellow Rawalpindi sta- pace at 161-6 when Mithun added Just before tea, Sohail broke a overs, conceding 83 runs. ods.