I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 11, 2019 SPORTS 15 Persepolis, Sepahan learn Andrea Stramaccioni opens door to return to Esteghlal Andrea Stramaccioni says he “had no choice” but to leave fate at ACL2020 Iranian football team Esteghlal but has left the door open to SPORTS TEHRAN — Iranian return to the team. deskfootball teams Perse- “There’s great bitterness at the way in which this journey polis and Sepahan have learned their has come to an end. It was a rivals at the 2020 AFC Champions League fascinating job, an adventure, following the conclusion of the draw at different to anything I have ex- the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Ma- perienced in my career before,” laysia on Tuesday. the Italian coach said. Persepolis are drawn in Group C “We were forced to annul the along with Qatari giants, Al Duhail SC, contract. In the last few months Al Taawoun FC from Saudi Arabia and the club, despite many failed Sharjah FC of the UAE. promises, didn’t fulfill their Sepahan have been also drawn in Group obligations from a legal point D with Al Sadd SC of Qatar, Saudi Arabia’s Al of view,” he added. Nassr and Play-off 1 winner (UAE/UZB/IRQ). “I regret this because the Group A consists of Al Wahda FSCC of team is at the top of the table, the UAE, Iraq’s Al Shorta, Play-off winner where it hadn’t been for six (QAT/IRN/JOR/KUW) and Play-off winner years. Playing in stadiums with (KSA/UZB/TJK). 100,000 people and playing in Esteghlal will host the winner of Jor- the Asian Champions League dan’s Al-Faisaly and Al Kuwait of Kuwait was beautiful. in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium in play-off “For me, it was a great honor to coach a team with such great and will face Al-Rayyan of Qatar if come fans and I am proud of my affection for them,” the Italian stated. out as winners. Despite the bad blood between him and the board, which has Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, who defeated since stepped down, the ex-Udinese coach suggested he could Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan to lift return on one condition. the 2019 title after runners-up finishes “I would come back to Iran tomorrow if the problems were in 2014 and 2017, will have Shabab Al solved.” Ahli Dubai (UAE), Pakhtakor (UZB) and Al-Riffa and if emerge victorious will play The 2020 season kicks off with the tion will present the champions, should (Source: Sky Sports) the winner of a play-off for company in Al-Sailiya of Qatar in play-off. preliminary stage on January 14 with the they not qualify through their domestic Group B. A total of 56 teams will be vying for the two-leg final scheduled for November league, with an added incentive of a guar- Shahr Khodro of Iran will first meet 2020 AFC Champions League, with the group 22 and 28. anteed spot in the Preliminary/Play-off Gabriel Calderon threatens winners of Chenay and Bahrain’s Bahrain stage divided into the East and West Zones. Raising the stakes, the upcoming edi- stage of the 2021 season. to leave Persepolis PLDC — Gabriel Calderon has threatened to leave Persepolis Persepolis move closer to IPL top football team if he doesn’t receive his payment on time. SPORTS TEHRAN — Persepolis defeated Gol Gol Gohar forward Behnam Barzai was shown second Esteghlal coach Andrea Stramaccioni canceled his contract deskGohar Sirjan 2-1 here and moved closer yellow card in the dying moments of the match. with Esteghlal on Sunday after the Iranian club failed to respect to top of Iran Professional league (IPL) table. Furthermore, Naft Masjed Soleyman earned a 2-1 contractual obligations. In the match held at the Azadi Stadium, Mehdi Torabi win over Saipa thanks to second-half’s goals from Emad On Monday, Persepolis coach also threatened Persepolis’s gave hosts a lead with a long-range strike in the 52nd Mirjavan and Farzad Hatami. officials to leave the club if they failed to pay his salary on time. minute. Reza Jafari scored for Saipa in the 38th minute. “I will focus on my team until December 26. I will concentrate Abdollah Hosseini made it 2-0, scoring an own goal Shahin Bushehr and Sanat Naft drew 1-1 in Bushehr. on our performance 200 percent,” the Argentine said. in the 80th minute. Esteghlal are top of the table with 26 points. Sepahan “Stramaccioni did a great job in Esteghlal but was forced to Alireza Ebrahimi pulled a goal back for the visiting and Persepolis are second and third with 25 points with leave the club. I don’t know about the details of the problem. I team with two minutes remaining. one game in their hands. also have this problem in Persepolis but I will not leave the club until December 26. The club’s officials have enough time to solve my problem,” Calderon said. Iran goalball heartbroken after China Iran in World Junior Water Polo qualify for 2020 Paralympics C’ships tough group Vietnam end 60-year wait for men’s gold, Myanmar deny Cambodia Vietnam clinched their first SEA Games men’s football gold medal since unification after beating Indonesia 3-0 in the 2019 final, while Myanmar edged Cambodia on penalties in the bronze play-off at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Tuesday. Vietnam took a first half lead through Doan Van Hau before second half efforts by Do Hung Dung and Van Hau again sealed a historic win for the Golden Dragons, with the gold being their first since South Vietnam won in 1959. SPORTS TEHRAN — Iran’s Games if they won the championships. SPORTS TEHRAN — Iran will South Africa, Croatia and China. deskmen’s team were left Earlier on the day, Japan defeated South deskhave a difficult task at Russia, Canada, Canada, Spain, Hun- heartbroken after losing to China 10-0 at Korea 11-5 in the bronze medal match. the FINA World Men’s Junior Water Polo gary and Egypt in Group B. the IBSA Goalball Asia-Pacific Champi- In the women’s division, Japan defeated Championships 2019. Brazil, Uzbekistan, Greece, Austral- onships final on Tuesday. China 2-1 in the final match but the Chinese The Iranian team have been drawn in ia and New Zealand are in Group D. Iran had also lost to China 9-5 in the team booked a berth in the 2020 Paralympic Group C along with Montenegro, Kuwait, The FINA World Men’s Junior Water competition’s preliminary round. The Per- Games since Japan have already secured the U.S., and Italy. Polo Championships 2019 will be held sian would qualify for the 2020 Paralympic their berth in the competition as hosts Group A consists of Serbia, Japan, in Kuwait from Dec. 12 to 20. Meanwhile, in the bronze play-off between Myanmar and Cambodia, the pulsating tie ended 2-2 after 90 minutes, with Global challenge awaits Al Hilal and Al Sadd Cambodia captain Keo Sokpheng’s spot-kick hitting the upright Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC and Qatar’s Al under their belt and are only the third side as Myanmar won the shoot-out 5-4. Sadd SC are primed for world class action from the country to make an appearance Gold Medal Match: Vietnam 3-0 Indonesia in the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 in the global showpiece and the first since The final was a repeat of the Group B match earlier in the which kicks off on Wednesday. Al Ittihad in 2005. tournament, which Vietnam won 2-1. The 16th edition of the global show- Despite finishing second behind cham- Vietnam, runners-up seven times since the 1959 triumph, piece will pit the champions from the six pions Al Nassr in the domestic league in started the stronger of the two and translated their dominance Continental Confederations, as well as the the 2018-19 season, Al Hilal›s underlined into the lead in the 40th minute with Van Hau rising high to host nation›s league champions, with the their quality with their performance in the head home a free-kick. final on December 21 at the Khalifa Inter- 2019 AFC Champions League. Two-time gold medalists Indonesia battled hard for the equal- national Stadium. If Lucescu’s side beat Esperance on izer but were dealt another blow in the 59th minute, as Vietnam Hosts Al Sadd will have to negate the first Saturday, awaiting the Riyadh-based club captain Hung Dung beat custodian Nadeo Winata. round against New Caledonia’s Hienghene in the semi-finals three days later will be Trailing by two goals, the writing was on the wall for Indo- Sport, who won the 2019 OFC Champions CONMEBOL representatives Flamengo of nesia, and the gold was sealed in the 73rd minute with Van Hau League, while Al Hilal will lock horns with Brazil - the Copa Libertadores champions. slotting a rebound past Winata as the celebrations began on the 2019 CAF Champions League winners Es- Players to watch streets of Vietnam. perance ST of Tunisia in the second round. Topping the bill for Lucescu›s title winners Bronze Play-off: Myanmar 2-2 Cambodia (Myan- Al Sadd SC are striker Bafetimbi Gomis, who emerged mar win 5-4 on penalties) The Qatari champions will be making from the 2019 AFC Champions League with Cambodia enjoyed a dream start in their bid to win a med- their second appearance in the FIFA Club when they lost 6-5 on aggregate to eventual Wednesday two awards – Top Scorer and MVP, former al for the first time, with Sieng Chanthea scoring with just 18 World Cup, having finished third in 2011 champions Al Hilal in the semi-finals.