Ali Daei

TEHRAN, Dec. 12--World football's governing body, FIFA, plans to pay a tribute to Iranian skipper and best international goalscorer Ali Daei, said the country's federation here Saturday, IRNA reported.
Daei was hailed worldwide for bringing his already world's best record to 102 international goals as he hit four in 2006 World Cup qualifier against Laos in mid-November.
The 35-year-old wrote history in his 133rd cap by scoring the 100th goal in 7-0 rout of Laos, outnumbering the previous records of two international football legends, Hungary's Ferenc Puskas with 84 goals and Brazil's Pele with 77 goals.
The prolific striker played between 1997 and 2002 for the three German Bundesliga clubs of Arminia Bielefeld, Hertha Berlin, and record champ Bayern Munich.
The international body will honor the veteran striker on December 20 when the World Player of the Year 2004 is named.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, Dec. 12--Sachin Tendulkar cracked a masterful career-best 248 not out as India piled up 526, a lead of 342, against Bangladesh on the third day of the first test on Sunday, Reuters reported.
Tendulkar, who had equaled Sunil Gavaskar's world record 34 test centuries on Saturday, smashed 35 boundaries to put India in a position to force an easy innings win.
He shared in a 133-run stand with last-man Zaheer Khan, who hammered 75 for his maiden half-century. His previous best was 46 against West Indies in Barbados in 2002.
Khan's score was the highest by a number-11 batsman in history, supassing 68 by Richard Collinge of New Zealand against Pakistan in Auckland in 1972-73.
Bangladesh had hopes up of bowling out India in the morning after they dismissed Anil Kumble (1) and Harbhajan Singh (8) early on a lively wicket offering seam movement.
Kumble dragged a ball by Masrafe Mortaza on to his stumps from way outside off and Harbhajan was caught at slip while reaching for an away-swinger from Mushfiqur Rahman.
Tendulkar kept the runs flowing to raise his fourth test double-century with a pulled four which also got India, overnight 348 for seven, past the 400-mark.
Only Rahul Dravid, with five, has scored more 200s for India.
It was Khan who took charge from the other end, however, cracking 10 fours and two huge sixes over the on-side.
He pulled Mohammad Rafique to the mid-wicket fence to bring up his 50, off 69 balls, and celebrated by raising his bat as Tendulkar rushed across to congratulate him.
Tendulkar passed his previous best, 241 not out against Australia in Sydney in January, before Khan was stumped by Khaled Mashud while giving spinner Mohammad Ashraful the charge.
Bangladesh have lost 29 and drawn three of their 32 tests.

Albacete's Gaspar Galvez (l) fights for the ball with Barcelona's Brazilian Ronaldinho during their Spanish League match between Albacete and Barcelona at Carlos Belmonte Stadium of Albacete, Saturday. (AFP Photo)

MADRID, Spain,
Dec. 12--A superb late strike from Barcelona midfielder Xavi allowed the Primera Liga leaders to snatch a 2-1 win away to a determined Albacete on Saturday, Reuters reported.
The Spanish international cracked a volley into the far corner from a meter outside the area five minutes from time after a poor clearance from the Albacete defence.
The win put Barca 12 points clear at the top of the table, although their nearest rivals Real Madrid and Espanyol have yet to play this weekend.
Atletico Madrid missed their chance to consolidate a place in the upper reaches of the table when they went down 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao in Saturday's late match.
Bilbao defender Asier del Horno grabbed the winner when he steered in at the far post on the stroke of halftime after midfielder Andoni Iraola had swept a fine pass over the Atletico defense.
The win allowed Bilbao to move up into 12th position in the table, while Atletico remain in sixth.
Barcelona got off to a flying start in their match when highly rated young midfielder Andres Iniesta put his side ahead with less than two minutes on the clock.
The under-21 international dispossessed Albacete defender Franciso Pena as he tried to play the ball out of the area and then poked a sharp shot under keeper Ronald Gaspercic inside the near post.

MELBOURNE, Australia,
Dec. 12--Richard Green produced a stunning approach shot to win the Australian Masters in a playoff from David McKenzie and Greg Chalmers at Huntingdale golf course on Sunday, Reuters said.
The trio had tied on 17-under-par 271 at the completion of the fourth round.
The 31-year-old Green played a perfect second shot on the first playoff hole, the par-four 18th, and tapped in for a birdie from one meter.
Western Australia's Chalmers fired a fourth round of seven-under-par 65, while Green had a 67.
Overnight leader McKenzie, from Melbourne, struggled to card an even-par 72 but produced a stunning five-meter putt for birdie on the final hole to force the playoff.
Brad Kennedy (69), Bradley Hughes (71) and Steven Bowditch (68) shared fourth place one stroke behind the playoff trio on 16-under-par 272.
With Chalmers and Green in the clubhouse on 17-under-par, Hughes was on 18-under-par and closing in on his third Australian Masters title.
However, he had a double-bogey six on the 18th. After driving into long grass and taking a drop, he watched helplessly as his five-metre bogey putt, which would have put him in the playoff, lipped out.
American Corey Pavin was seventh with a 67 to finish on 15-under-par 273.
Sydney's Peter Lonard, who won the Australian Open and Australian PGA in the previous two weeks, had a round of even-par 72 to tie for eighth with Peter Senior and Nick O'Hern.

PARIS, Dec. 12--A second-half strike from Benjani gave a AJ Auxerre a 1-0 victory at struggling Olympique Marseille in a Ligue 1 match on Saturday, Reuters said.
Benjani slotted home a shot from 25 meters in the 62nd minute to hand Marseille their second home defeat of the season.
Marseille, who started the day third in the table after two consecutive wins, squandered their best scoring chance when Auxerre defender Stephane Grichting beat Habib Bamogo to cut out a fine cross from Eduardo Costa in the 75th minute.
Marseille dropped to fifth in the standings while Auxerre moved up a place to fourth, nine points behind leaders Olympique Lyon.
The champions extended their unbeaten league run to 18 matches with a laboured 0-0 draw at Girondins Bordeaux, a ground they have lost at only once in the last 10 years.
But Bordeaux came very close to defeating Lyon in the 83rd minute when Kalu Uche's header forced a dramatic save from goalkeeper Nicolas Puydebois.
With a three-point lead over Lille, Lyon have virtually sealed their place as winter champions.
Lille kept the leaders in sight, coming from behind to tame Nantes 2-1 thanks to second-half goals from Geoffrey Dernis and Matt Moussilou.
Monaco who qualified in style for the Champions League's knockout stage by thrashing Deportivo Coruna 5-0 on Wednesday sealed a convincing 2-0 win at Bastia.
Uruguay international Ernesto Chevanton opened the scoring in the 20th minute and then set up Argentina striker Javier Saviola's goal before the interval.
Monaco are third, level on 29 points with Auxerre.
St Etienne clinched their most convincing success since returning to the top flight with a 5-0 win over Caen.
Striker Frederic Piquionne scored twice to give Les Verts a 4-0 lead at the interval. Substitute Lilian Compan completed the rout with an 85th-minute goal.

WBC title holder Vitali Klitschko (r) of Ukraine throws his 8th round right-hand punch to send Danny Williams of Great Britain to the canvas during their WBC heavyweight championship fight at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Saturday. (AFP Photo)

LAS VEGAS, USA, Dec. 12--Ukraine's Vitali Klitschko stopped Britain's Danny Williams in the eighth round to retain his World Boxing Council heavyweight crown on Saturday, Reuters said.
The defending champion dominated the fight from the start and had Williams on the canvas in the first, third and seventh rounds at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
When he knocked Williams down with a vicious right cross again after one minute 26 seconds of the eighth round referee Jay Nady decided the courageous challenger had taken enough punishment and ended the fight. Williams was taken to hospital after the fight for a CAT scan and was set to be kept in overnight as a precautionary measure, his promoter Frank Warren said.
"Obviously Danny is very disappointed. He never got over the first round," Warren said, adding Williams' corner was about to stop the fight at the end of the eighth round. "Vitali dominated the fight," Warren added.
Williams, who weighed in at his heaviest ever 270 pounds, seemed unable to block the attacks of his quicker and taller opponent and was repeatedly shaken by Klitschko's punches.
The 6 feet 7 inch Ukrainian giant was 20 pounds lighter despite a six inch height advantage and looked stronger and fitter than his opponent.
"I feel this was the best performance of my career," Klitschko said after the fight, dedicating his win to democracy in Ukraine.
Klitschko had considered pulling out of the fight to join the crowds who flooded the streets of Kiev following Ukraine's much disputed presidential election recently.

ROME, Dec. 12--Serie A dark horses Udinese strengthened their position in third place with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at struggling Atalanta on Saturday, their seventh win in nine league matches, AFP said.
Vincenzo Iaquinta scored the only goal in the ninth minute, scooping the rebound into the net while laying on the ground after Atalanta keeper Massimo Taibi had blocked his initial effort, a close range header from Davide Di Michele's cross. Victory for Udinese, their fifth away success, enabled them to close the gap on second-placed AC Milan to three points.
Udinese have 28 points from their 15 games played, while defending champions AC Milan have 31 points, four less than leaders Juventus. The top two played on Sunday with Juventus away to Bologna and AC Milan at home to Fiorentina.
Atalanta, who appointed Delio Rossi as coach on Tuesday following the sacking of Andrea Mandorlini, remain anchored to the bottom on seven points and are still looking for their first win since being promoted.
In Saturday's late match, Lazio showed their fighting spirit, fighting back from 2-0 and 3-2 down to draw at home to Lecce.
Rodney Babu and Valeri Bojinov grabbed first half goals to give the visitors what appeared to be a commanding lead.
But Tommaso Rocchi breathed life into Lazio by scoring soon after the restart before Paolo Di Canio levelled the score, coolly converting a penalty after Souleymane Diamoutene had brought down Rocchi in the box.
Brazilian striker Baba applied the finishing touch to a swift counter-attack to put Lecce back in front, only for Di Canio to snatch a point for Lazio with his second of the night, a low, right-footed drive.
A point lifted Lecce from seventh up to fifth, while Lazio climbed two places to 12th.

NEW YORK,
Dec. 12--Michael Finley had 26 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Dallas mavericks crushed their state rivals, the Houston Rockets 102-78 in National Basketball Association play Saturday, Reuters reported.
It was the first game between the two teams since a wild December 2 game in Dallas won by the Mavericks 113-106 in vertime, when Nowitzki scored 53 points for Dallas and Tracy McGrady responded with 48 for Houston.
This time, however, the Mavs dominated all night in Houston, ith Nowitzki playing only 33 minutes as Dallas had a huge 23-8 hird quarter run to blow the game open.
The Mavericks (14-8) led 50-41 at the half before pulling way in the second half to lead by as many as 30 points.
Josh Howard added 13 points for the Mavs, while Marquis aniels had 11 points for the winners.
McGrady, who scored 13 points in the final 35 seconds in a tirring win at home on Friday, was just 6-for-16 for 15 points.
Yao Ming added 13 points and six rebounds for the Rockets, whose three-game winning streak was snapped.
It was the most lopsided loss of the season for Houston.
In other NBA games played Saturday, Chris Webber had 26 points and 10 rebounds as the Sacramento Kings got by the Indiana Pacers 97-92 in overtime.
In San Antonio, Tim Duncan scored 34 points in just 37 minutes as the Spurs throttled the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-97.
In Chicago, Ben Gordon had 31 points in 31 minutes as the Bulls stunned the Minnesota Timberwolves 99-88.
In Atlanta, Richard Jefferson scored 21 points, 19 of them in the second half, as the New Jersey Nets edged the Hawks 95-90.
In Memphis, Pau Gasol had 20 points and eight rebounds as the Grizzlies knocked off the Detroit Pistons 72-68.
In Seattle, Paul Pierce had 22 points as the Boston Celtics handed the SuperSonics their first home loss of the season, winning 98-84.
In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant had 37 points and 10 rebounds as the Lakers edged the Clippers 89-87.