6 December 24, 2020 Fiorentina Hand 10-Man Iran Ranked 3rd in World Juve First League Defeat Junior Chess Championship TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Iran ranked third in the World Junior Chess Championship held on- line in Georgia. Iranian chess players who took part in the com- petition by head coach Mehrdad Ardeshi ranked third in the World Junior Chess Championship. Some 1380 chess players from 114 countries took part in the online World Junior Chess Championship. The U.S. and India snatched the first and sec- ond place respectively. The World Junior Chess Championship was hosted by Georgia this year, and ended on De- Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci, left, and Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic, right, cember 22 and due to corona pandemic, it was compete for the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Juventus and held online and at the continental level to de- Fiorentina, at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy, Dec 22, 2020. termine the winners of each region for the final TURIN (Dispatches) - Champi- and raises questions about their stage. ons Juventus have suffered their ability to extend their run of nine Seven Iranian chess players participated in the first Serie A defeat of the season successive titles. final stage of the competitions. when they crashed 3-0 at home Fiorentia are in 15th place on to lowly Fiorentina after having 14 points. Abdi Winner of 2020 Juan Cuadrado sent off after 18 Fiore got off to a flying start minutes. when Franck Ribery released AFC Champions Fiorentina, who had failed to Vlahovic with a through ball and win any of their previous six the Serb held off Matthijs De League Goal of Week league matches since the return Ligt before lifting the ball over TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Persepolis striker Mehdi Abdi’s goal was chosen of coach Cesare Prandelli, were keeper Wojciech Szczesny. as the AFC Champions League 2020 Goal of the Week. also helped by some calamitous Vlahovic wasted another He scored Persepolis’ only goal against Ulsan Hyundai in the final defending by the hosts, with chance after Bonucci lost the ball match of the 2020 ACL. Leonardo Bonucci in particular and Juve’s problems mounted The Iranian striker drove forward and fired home from just inside the box in the 45th minute. suffering an off-day. when Cuadrado caught Gaetano Brazilian Negrao also scored twice from the penalty spot and helped Dusan Vlahovic stunned the Castrovilli’s shin with a danger- his team win the ACL title for the second time. Turin side by giving the visi- ous studs-up tackle. Abdi registered an impressive 96 percent vote. tors the lead in the third minute The referee showed a yellow before Alex Sandro put through card but changed it to red af- his own goal and Martin Cace- ter viewing the incident on the Clippers Beat Lakers 116-109 res added a third following more pitchside monitor. LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Af- Lakers coach Frank Vogel also bad defending in the last quarter Szczesny tipped away a Castro- ter the Los Angeles Lakers got limited James’ playing time of an hour. villi effort after another Bonucci their championship rings, the and kept Davis to 31 minutes, The defeat, Juve’s worst at the mistake but Juve also threat- Los Angeles Clippers gave a anticipating the long grind Allianz Stadium since it opened ened with Ronaldo firing into performance that showed this ahead on his veterans after a nine years ago, left them fourth the side-netting and also testing retooled team is determined to 10-week offseason. with 24 points after 13 games, keeper Bartlomiej Dragowski contend for its own jewelry sev- Serge Ibaka scored 15 points eral months from now. in his debut for the Clippers, seven behind leaders AC Milan, with a long-range effort. Paul George scored 26 of who hadn’t played since blow- his 33 points in the second ing a 3-1 playoff series lead to half, Kawhi Leonard added Denver and ruining a much- Messi’s Record Untouchable, 26 points and the Los Angeles anticipated conference final Clippers rallied past the Los showdown with the waiting Angeles Lakers on the NBA Lakers in the bubble. The col- Predicts Lineker champions’ ring ceremony Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George shoots over Los Angeles lapse led to coach Doc Riv- night for a 116-109 victory Lakers forward Montrezl Harrell during the first half of an NBA ers’ departure, and Lue moved Tuesday. basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, in Los Angeles. down the bench to take over a George went 13 of 18 with star-studded team with several five 3-pointers in an outstand- Lue’s debut. ami Heat in the NBA bubble. new additions. ing first game since agreeing The Clippers stayed in their James said he turned his ankle The Lakers fell behind by 22 to add four years and $190 locker room while the Lakers ‘’pretty good’’ in the second points under the ring hangover million to his contract with the received their rings, but they half, leading him to play just in the first quarter, but they Clippers, who never trailed in emerged with purpose and de- 28 minutes. erased all but two points of the the latest meeting of Southern termined play - from their two The Lakers returned from the deficit in the second. The Clip- California’s two NBA power- superstars in particular. shortest offseason in league pers pulled away late in the houses. The Clippers beat the LeBron James scored 22 history and celebrated the third with George scorching a Lakers in the season opener for points and Anthony Davis had franchise’s 17th title, but they series of one-on-one defenders. the second straight year while 18 for the Lakers just 72 days couldn’t keep up with George He scored 11 more points in the winning coach Tyronn after they finished off the Mi- and Leonard down the stretch. fourth to seal it. Atletico Sink Sociedad to Move Clear at Top of Messi record untouchable says Lineker BARCELONA (Dispatches) - season for 15 years....for one SAN SEBASTIAN (Reuters) - late on. Lionel Messi’s all-time goalscor- club,” Lineker, now a BBC pre- La Liga leaders Atletico Atleti, who recorded their ing record for one club will never senter, tweeted alongside an in- have moved three points clear 300th win in 499 games in all with a 2-0 win at third-placed competitions under manager be broken, former England and credulous icon. thanks to second- , have 32 points Barcelona forward Gary Lineker “This is a record that no one half goals from Mario Hermoso from 13 games ahead of second- has predicted. thought would ever be beaten. It and . placed Real Madrid who have Messi beat Pele’s record of will never be beaten again.” The game failed to live up to played 14 and host Granada on its billing in a drab first half but Wednesday. 643 goals for one club when he The 33-year-old Argentina star Atleti broke the deadlock early Sociedad, who had led the scored Barcelona’s third goal, rewrote the history books on in the second when defender standings for most of the season and the 644th of his Barca ca- Tuesday when he collected Pe- Hermoso headed in Yannick until their recent slide, slumped reer, in the 3-0 win against Val- dri’s neat backheel and struck Carrasco’s floated free kick. to a third straight league defeat ladolid on Tuesday. the ball past goalkeeper Jordi The visitors, without record and have now not won in their Records are there to be broken, Masip in the 65th minute. signing Joao Felix who stayed Atletico Madrid’s Belgian midfielder , right, vies with last nine matches in all competi- in the team hotel after feeling ill, Real Sociedad’s Spanish midfielder David Silva during the Spanish tions. as Messi has proved, but Linek- Messi scored his first goal for added to their lead with a vicious league football match between Real Sociedad and Club Atletico de A victory would have seen them er says this one is untouchable. Barca in 2005. His has beaten strike from Llorente after a lay- Madrid at the Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian on Dec 22, 2020. go level on points with Atletico “To beat Messi’s 644 goal the total Pele amassed for Bra- off from Luis Suarez. but instead they trail Simeone’s Sociedad welcomed back play- but did not manage a shot on Oblak tipped a Martin Mer- side by six and have played three record, someone will have to zilian club Santos from 1956 to maker David Silva from injury target until Atletico keeper Jan quelanz free kick around the post games more. score an average of 43 goals a 1974.