Esteqlal Tehran's Pirouz Qorbani and Pejman Montazeri competing for the ball with Esteqlal Ahvaz rivals at the IPL on Friday. Esteqlal Tehran beat Esteqlal Ahvaz 3-2.

TEHRAN, Aug. 18--Iranian Premier League (IPL) completed its Round 1 schedule on Friday with a few unexpected results. Rah Ahan which avoided relegation to the lower division last season only via play offs, defeated defending champions Saipa by two late goals by Hadi Asghari.
According to Irankicks.com, former Tehran side Pas, which relocated to the provincial town of Hamedan in off season got off to a winning start. Qolamain’s second half goal was enough to send Mes Kerman crashing. Abu Moslem Mashhad uncharacteristically dropped three points at home, losing 1-0 to Saba Battery. Saba’s goal was scored by Mohammad Nouri.
The two newly promoted sides Pegah Gilan and Shirin Faraz Kermanshah could not record a win in Round 1. Pegah playing at home lost 2-0 to Sepahan. Zad Mahmoud and Karimi were on target for the Esfehan side. In its first ever top division football match, SFK drew 2-2 with Fajr Sepasi. Zafarani gave SFK an early lead, but Khaleqifard leveled the score, before Zafarani gave the Kermanshah side the lead before half time. In the second half, Zarei scored for the Shiraz side to give them a share of the points. The only goal-less match of Round 1 took place between Zob Ahan Esfehan and Malavan Anzali.
Last game of Round 1 was staged in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium featuring Esteqlal Tehran and Esteqlal Ahvaz. The two sides that were in a tight race for the championship all of last season, picked up where they had left off. Esteqlal Tehran back under the guidance of legendary coach Nasser Hejazi introduced a collection of new signings in its first starting line up. Mohsen Bayatnia, Arash Borhani, Mehrdad Pouladi, Meysan Manie-e, and Macedonian defender Orsovic were the new players introduced to the crowd. Most importantly however, Esteqlal’s line up included Mojtaba Jabari, who missed the entire season last year due to injury. Jabari made an immediate impact as his first minute low cross connected with Bayatinia for a shot on goal.
Ultimately, two Esteqlal’s old-timers were responsible for Blue’s first goal of the new season. Navazi’s free kick found Sadeghi unmarked at the mouth of the goal and he headed in an easy one. However, two minutes later, for what should already be considered candidate for goal of the season, Bigdeli’s solo run went through 5 Tehran players for Ahvaz equalizer. Tehran players created more chances, but against the run of play Taheri scored in the dying minutes of the first half to give the travelers a crucial advantage before the half time. Esteqlal Tehran only needed a few minutes to equalize after the re-start. An identical cross from Navazi this time found Arash Borhani, who headed in for the 2-2 score. Esteqlal Tehran?s superior physical fitness finally paid off as Manie-e’s 75th minute shot deflected off Ahvaz defender for the winner.
IPL Round 2 is set for Thursday with Esteghlal in action against Malavan, and Peykan facing Saba Battery.

Fixtures for 2nd Week
Thursday, Aug. 23

Saba Battery-Paykan (5:15 p.m.)
Malavan-Esteqlal (5:15 p.m.)

Friday, Aug. 24

Esteqlal Ahvaz-Sanate Naft (7:15 p.m.)
Sepahan-Abu Moslem (5 p.m.)
Mes Kerman-Zoobahan (5 p.m.)
Shirin Faraz-Pas Hamedan
(5:15 p.m.)
Barq Shiraz-Rahahan (5:15 p.m.)
Saipa-Fajre Sepasi (5 p.m.)
Persepolis-Pegah (7:15 p.m.)

MEXICO CITY,
Aug. 18--The young Iranian volleyball team has defeated Poland in its second match of the 10th Boy’s Youth World Championship held in Mexico.
According to MNA, in the hard and breathtaking game, which took more than two hours, the Iranian team defeated its powerful eastern European rival 3-2 on Thursday.
Poland won the first and fourth sets 25-21, 26-24, but the qualified Iranian players managed to defeat its rival by winning the second, third and fifth sets 25-21, 25-29, 25-23.
Iran defeated Porto Rico 3-2 on Wednesday and will have a fierce competition with Cuba on Friday.
The world’s sixteen top youth teams started competing at the event hosted by the Mexican cities of Tijuana and Mexicali, on Wednesday.
Iran was the silver medalist at the 2001 competition and the bronze medalist at the 2003 games.
Members of the Iranian team are Ashkan Derakhshan, Farhad Sunafzoun, Golmohammad Sakhavi, Mojtaba Ghiasi, Farhad Qaemi, Edris Daneshfar, Amin Razavi, Mojtaba Shaban, Alireza Jadidi, Hamed Baqerpour, Moein Rahimi and Ebrahim Chabokian.
Also, Iran’s Junior National Volleyball Team has been defeated by Cuba in the 10th Men’s Junior World Championship now being held in Mexico.
Cuba won the game in three successive sets, scoring 29-25, 27-17, and 25-22.
Despite the loss, Iran qualified to enter the second round of the championship because it had defeated Porto Rico on Wednesday and Poland on Thursday.
Sixteen of the world’s best youth teams are participating in the event, which is currently taking place in the Mexican cities of Tijuana and Mexicali.
Iran was the silver medalist in the 2001 competitions and the bronze medalist in 2003.
There is a real prospect that Cuba will win the tournament.

BERLIN, Aug. 18--German first division football team VfL Wolfsburg has been testing Iranian international and FC Sharjah midfielder Massoud Shojaei, the club’s press department was quoted as saying Saturday.
“He is a young talented offensive player. It was a short-notice measure. I will now hold talks with his advisor,“ Wolfsburg’s team manager and coach Felix Magath said, according to IRNA.
The 23-year-old versatile youngster who can play full-back, centre-back or as a defensive midfielder, was a member of Iran’s 2006 World Cup squad.
If Shojaei signs a deal with Wolfsburg, he will be joined by fellow countryman Ashkan Dejagah who joined the north German Bundesliga squad this season.
Meanwhile, Iran’s sports press linked earlier Hannover 96 striker Vahid Hashemian to a possible move to Wolfsburg.

PARIS, Aug. 18--With the start of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Korea 2007 just hours away, hosts Korea Republic continue to fine tune their preparations in a bid to make a winning start against Peru. Park Kyung Hoon’s squad took part in a short, training-ground game utilizing half the pitch, but it more than satisfied their hordes of expectant fans.
According to FIFA.com, particularly encouraging was a move that started at the feet of Yoon Bitgaram in midfield. The playmaker fed a delightful ball into the path of Jin Soo Choi, who, with a searing burst of pace, left his marker for dead before calmly lobbing the keeper. Simple yet effective, it was a good argument for the hosts’ cause ahead of their imminent clash with Peru.
The midfielder has been handed the No. 10 jersey for the tournament with good reason, and his team’s chances of winning a world title on home soil could well hinge on his performances. Like many others who have played with that emblematic number on their backs, his style and charisma have made him a hit with female fans, who eagerly follow his every move.
On the conclusion of the practice session, Jin Soo was happy to share his thoughts with FIFA.com. Confident yet unassuming, the 17-year-old says he does not feel much pressure having to deliver in front of millions of his compatriots. “A little bit maybe, but it’s more joy and enthusiasm I feel. My goal for this tournament is to enjoy myself and for my team to triumph. That’s what matters most.“
As for his reputation for being the team’s pin-up, Choi smiles at the suggestion but does not deny being something of a heartthrob. “It’s not that big a thing really. I couldn’t tell you if it’s completely true or not,“ he says. “What is certain is that a lot of girls want my autograph, but that just drives me on to become a better player.“
There was further evidence of his growing popularity back at the team hotel, where there were numerous girls hoping to get photos and autographs. And while all the squad were in demand, it was clear Jin Soo was their principal target. “He’s very handsome,“ gushed one fan, “I wish he was my boyfriend.“
While the attention is flattering, the player insists his principal concerns are professional, and his goal is to follow in the footsteps of his favorite player, Paul Scholes. “I’ve always admired him, and he’s always been my idol,“ admits the midfielder.

Iranian beach footballers in a training session for the event.

Iran’s Brazilian beach soccer head coach pat the back of his men, saying that his team deserved to edge out the Asian titleholder.
Iranian beach footballers battered the Asian beach football champion Bahrain 3-2 late Thursday and eased into next leg of the Asian Games Championship events.
“Iranian players qualified to win Bahrain due to their technical demonstration, Iran’s Brazilian head coach Marco Octavio told IRNA. He said that his men had a good performance on the pitch, although it was a marathon game.
“It was a sensitive game since Iran has had to win the match in normal time in order to breeze into the next leg,“ said the head coach, adding that his men were “good boys“ and listened to his words carefully in a match whom he described as a do or die.
“We will display a better show in front of Nippon and we will definitely crash out the Japanese squad to win the Asian title and qualify for the world cup“, he concluded.
The teams, which book a spot on the first three titles on the board, will win a ticket to the 2007 World Beach Soccer Games slated in Brazil.

Iran beat Pakistan 44-0.

Iran’s national rugby team defeated Pakistani counterpart in Lahore on Friday in its first competition overseas.
According to IRNA, the 44-0 result is a great victory for the Iranian team.
The competition was organized by the Asian Rugby Football Union according to the Asia’s ranking.

Iran’s Chess Federation has announced that 10 countries have so far expressed readiness and interest in participating in the Asia’s Women Chess championship.
The competitions will be held in Tehran as of September 2, IRNA reported.
China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and India are among the teams who have already enrolled for the competitions.

Iran’s National Gymnastic team is preparing to participate in the World Gymnastic Championship in Germany’s Stuttgart.
The competitions will kick off August 25 with 75 teams participating the events, IRNA reported.

The Afghanistan women football team has arrived in Islamabad to play matches with several Pakistani teams, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Friday.
According to IRNA, the Afghan team will play it first match in Islamabad on Saturday at Islamabad’s Jinnah Sports Stadium.
The team will take on Pakistan’s Pilot FC, Diya Women FC and Young Rising Star Blue in Group-D during third National Women Football Championship that commenced here on Thursday. “It would be historic because Afghan women competing in Pakistan will be great for the relationship of two nations.
It is first time that a team from abroad is appearing in national soccer event of Pakistan, said PFF Women Wing Chairperson Robina Irfan.