6 JULY 17, 2014 Advances to FIBA Asia Cup Quarterfinals Iranian Taekwondo Fighter India could not extend its first Wins Gold in Tournament quarter lead after the break as Ira- nian basketball players returned to action refreshed and seemingly re- gained in their composure. The Iranian outfit made optimal use of its strengths and resources during the second quarter, and fi- nally beat the opposite side 13-9. The third quarter played out much like the second, with Iranians scor- ing points to pull out a dramatic 22-7 victory. In the final quarter, Indian athletes sought to regain the lead and surge ahead. However, Iranians agreeably responded to their challenges and were off to a 14-13 lead to secure a 62-49 win. The 5th edition of FIBA Asia Cup started in the Chinese city of Wuhan on July 11, and will run until July Iranian taekwondo fighter Mehdi Khodabakhsi 19. Kayhan Int’l Sports Desk Iran was drawn in Pool A along with China, India, Indonesia and SEOUL - Iranian taekwondo practitioner Mehdi Khodabakhsi has taken Japan. Pool B consisted of Chinese Kayhan Int’l Sports Desk China following a victory over the got past the Indians 62-49. Taipei, Jordan, the Philippines and the country’s medal tally at the 2014 Gyeongju Korea Open International Tae- Indian squad. Iran reeled in 4 unanswered points Singapore. kwondo Championships in South Korea to five, winning a gold. BEIJING - Iran men’s national In a match held at the Wuhan in the initial stage of the first quar- In the men’s minus 80-kilogram weight class, the 23-year-old Iranian ath- basketball team has made it through Gymnasium in the central Chinese ter, but then it was India that took The winner of the basketball tour- lete was given the first round off. He progressed 12–0 in his first contest to the quarterfinals of the fifth edi- city of Wuhan on Tuesday morning, control of the game by dominating nament in China will automatically at Gyeongju Indoor Stadium in the coastal city of Gyeongju because his tion of Fédération Internationale Iranian athletes emerged victorious the quarter and carving out a 20-13 qualify for the FIBA Asia Champi- opponent did not show up for the bout. onship in 2015. de Basketball (FIBA) Asia Cup in in their last group stage fixture and win at the breather. Khodabakhshi knocked out a contestant from South Korea in the second combat, and prevailed over Poland’s Piotr Pazinski 7-6 in the next. The Qatari Club Al-Arabi to sign Dejagah Iranian national then defeated his Filipino rival Christian AI dela Cruz 9-1 Kayhan Int’l Sports Desk izonte’s Estadio Mineirao on June in the semi-final encounter. 21, the Football Federation of the In his final competition, Khodabakhshi was victorious over his South DOHA - Qatari sports club Al- Islamic Republic of Iran officially Korean opponent, receiving the gold medal. On Saturday, Iranian sports- Arabi is in talks with British pro- complained to FIFA over poor deci- men demonstrated dazzling performances at the taekwondo event and were fessional football club Fulham over sions from Serbian referee Milorad awarded four medals, including two golds. the transfer of Iranian-German soc- Mazic. The 2014 Gyeongju Korea Open International Taekwondo Champion- cer player Ashkan Dejagah for a fee In a letter sent to the international ships opened in the South Korean city of Gyeongju on July 11, and will of millions of pounds. governing body for soccer, the fed- wrap up on July 16. According to a report published eration said the 41-year-old did not by the English-language newspa- point to the spot in the 64th minute The competitions are being staged in junior, senior and cadet categories. per The Sun, Fulham has received of the match, when Dejagah was Cadet competitions are being held in two sections: 8-10 and 11-13 years a £5-million ($8.5-million) bid for taken down inside Argentina’s area old. the 28-year-old from the by Argentine defender Pablo Za- A total of 1,770 athletes are taking part in the five-day international tae- Qatari side. baleta. kwondo tournament. Dejagah started for Iran on its Meanwhile, Swansea City star opening 2014 FIFA World Cup Pablo Hernandez is tipped to join Group F match at the Arena da Argentina captain Lionel Messi is challenged by Ashkan Dejagah of Iran Al-Arabi after holding transfer Brazil’s Technical Ability in Baixada in Curitiba on June 16 during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group F match on June 21. talks in the Middle East last week. against Nigeria, but was substituted The former Spain international, in the 73rd minute with Alireza Ja- chances. from behind the penalty area that 29, has made it clear he wants to Decline hanbakhsh. Argentina earned a hard-fought flew a few centimeters over Iranian move away from the Liberty after He played 85 minutes in Iran’s victory over Iran. After the regu- keeper ’s hands being left behind from the club’s second group stage game against lation time of 90 minutes ran out, and into the net. pre-season tour to the United Argentina, and missed two Lionel Messi scored on a long shot Following the fixture in Belo Hor- States. Thiem Upsets Granollers in Hamburg

HAMBURG (Eurosport) - Domi- 12 chances to defeat the Spaniard Leonardo Mayer of Argentina, Klizan now faces 2011 winner nic Thiem fought from 5-2 down in in 2 1/2 hours. Granollers, ranked who defeated German wild card Gilles Simon of France, while the final set and held off a match 40 places above Thiem, was grant- Peter Gojowczyk 6-3, 6-2 in the Monaco will play Andreas Seppi point before upsetting the eighth- ed a first-round bye at the clay- first round. of Italy, with the winner taking seeded Marcel Granollers 2-6, 6-3, court event. In other first-round matches, on top-seeded David Ferrer in the 7-5 in the second round of the Ham- Thiem is now 2-0 against Granol- 2012 champion Juan Monaco of third round. The Spaniard, who burg Open. lers after also beating the Spaniard Argentina defeated Pere Riba of accepted a wild card to the tour- The 55th-ranked Austrian saved in his native Barcelona in April. Spain 6-3, 6-1 and Slovakia’s nament, rallied to defeat Mikhail five of the eight break points he Thiem next plays either Guill- Martin Klizan defeated Dutch Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 2-6, faced and converted three of his ermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain or player Igor Sijsling 6-4, 3-6, 6-0. 6-3, 6-2. Former Brazil coach Mano Menezes

RIOP DE JANEIRO (Goal) - and people sometimes confuse jug- Hopkins Remains Driven in Ring Former Brazil coach Mano Mene- gling with the ability to play foot- zes says European teams have sur- ball, but they are different things. Seated at the far west of the ball- ever lived long since secure, he’s passed his South American nation “We see that the European foot- room is light heavyweight cham- still battling against opponents with their superior technical ability ball that has been developed [in pion Bernard Hopkins, though both real and imagined. in football. recent years], they do everything he’s largely unnoticed because “Bernard Hopkins,” he said, Menezes told told TV Esporte better than us. of the arrival of the food despite speaking slowly while choosing that Brazil cannot afford to rely on “We still have the dribbling, the wearing a perfectly fitting white his words carefully, “is still that individual brilliance with technical pure individual ability of the play- sports coat and matching slacks. thorn in certain people’s asses. ability in decline. ers... but we don’t know how to Hopkins slides into a chair at a I don’t know who they are, but “We know exactly what our develop players like we used to radio broadcast position, his back every now and then, they expose problems are, but we don’t know do in the past. That’s why we are to the room. Quickly, though, themselves and I do know who how to fix them or we lack capable lagging behind,” the 52-year-old Hopkins gets up and takes a chair they are people with knowledge to under- pointed out. where he’s able to survey the “It’s the same spirit that will stand the best path to take,” he Brazil finished its 2014 FIFA room. always be in me to understand commented. “This is what Brazil- World Cup campaign disastrously “I don’t like sitting with my that no matter how good you are, ian football lacks. [If we fixed the with a 3-0 defeat to the Nether- back to the crowd,” he says. there are competitors out there problems] we could certainly keep lands in the third-place playoff at Hopkins learned long ago in his who will try to discredit you. managers longer and improve the the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia native Philadelphia not to show This is true whether it’s in the development of players, which is on Saturday following humiliat- Bernard Hopkins aspires to be the undisputed light heavyweight champion at 50. weakness to his opponents. And ring or in the office. They want something that has declined a lot. ing 7-1 semi-final loss to even- LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Din- porters in town to cover the Canelo now, months before his 50th to try to harm your name, attack “The level of our players nowa- tual champion Germany in Belo ner has arrived in the massive ball- Alvarez-Erislandy Lara fight scur- birthday and with a position as your credibility and damage your days is technically worse. Our ball Horizonte’s Estadio Mineirao on room at the MGM Grand, and re- ry for position in line. one of the greatest boxers who reputation. control is worse, as is our passing, July 8.