Esteqlal Dominates IPL

Sports Desk

Popular club Esteqlal saw off Saipa to cement its place on top of Iran’s Premier League table.
In the 19th round of the IPL, the capital-based club Esteqlal managed to defeat Saipa on Monday at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium to extend its lead.
The two teams finished goalless in the first half, but in the second period the Blues thanks to Farzad Hatami’s unstoppable nice header in the 54th minute of the match get the full points of the game.
Substitute Ali Hamoudi sent the ball into the penalty area and unmarked Hatami headed the ball.
Saipa was the better team of pitch in the second-half and created some scoring chances but Esteqlal goalkeeper Mehdi Rahmati denied their efforts.
Esteqlal has collected 37 points, 4 more than second-placed Foulad to stand on top of the 18-team league table.
In the post-match press conference Esteqlal’s top trainer hailed his players performance and asked the manager of the club to solve the financial problems of the team.
Amir Qalenoei said, “I want to thank the players for their commitment. We could have score more goals but the luck was not on our side. We showed that claiming the IPL trophy is in our minds. I have also mention Saipa’s goalie fantastic performance.”
In the other game of the day, Teraktorsazi beat Paykan to jump to the third place of the table. Flávio Emanuel Lopes scored the sole goal of the match in the 8th minute of the match from the kick spot.
Elsewhere, Damash lost to Aluminum 2-1 in its home game, Naft and Mes played out a goalless draw.
The next round of the competition will start on Friday as Persepolis will host newly promoted Gahar, which defeated Rah Ahan in the previous round of the league games.
Rah Ahan will meet the title defender Sepahan, Malavan is scheduled to play against Saba while Naft Abadan will shake hands with Sepasi. The rest of the games will be played on Saturday.

Pirro: CRT Has MotoGP Future

MotoGP’s CRT class will not be rendered obsolete when radical changes-- including a spec ECU--are brought in for 2014 according to Michele Pirro.
Pirro spearheaded Gresini Racing’s CRT effort in 2012, one of nine entries accepted for the category’s maiden season, AutoSport reported.
MotoGP’s governing body the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme said the class--originally borne out of the need to combat rising prototype costs and boost grid numbers--would stay for 2013 but could change in 2014 when new rules are slated to come into effect.
Pirro labelled his own experience of CRTs as ‘disastrous’ after he finished third in class despite breaking into the top 10 just twice all season.
While he accepts that the gap between CRTs and prototypes must be reduced, Pirro says rule changes for both the coming season and beyond 2014 could ensure such a shift.
“CRT can have a future if the gap to the MotoGP prototypes is reduced, Pirro told Motosprint.
“The CRT I raced with was disastrous. We were too limited and too little money was spent.
“If you consider Aprilia, that’s different: ART has shown it can get close to the MotoGP prototypes. CRT will have softer tires in 2013, so it will benefit from that.
“In 2014, with the rule changes, the level of the prototypes will decrease.

Djokovic Suffers Bizarre Injury Scare

Defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic suffered a bizarre injury scare after a faultless straight-sets victory over Italian Andreas Seppi at the Hopman Cup on Monday. The world No.1 was signing autographs after the match when he hurt his leg as local fans pushed towards him, Reuters wrote.
Leaving his racquets and bag on the court, Djokovic limped straight up the tunnel to receive a medical assessment in the locker room.
The Serbian was unable to complete a television interview he had agreed to after his 6-3 6-4 victory over Seppi.
His on-court performance had been less stressful as he defeated a plucky opponent who pushed him to the limit in a five-set thriller at the French Open this year.
Djokovic only arrived in Perth from Abu Dhabi late on Sunday night and admitted he was troubled by jet lag.
“I felt this morning that I was dream-walking,” he said. “I broke the ice after the first set and started to feel better.”
Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic held an unassailable 2-0 in the tie against the Italian pairing of Seppi and Francesca Schiavone.
Ivanovic began the day by beating Schiavone 6-0 6-4.
Djokovic is taking part in the round-robin team event to be guaranteed at least three matches in his build-up to the Australian Open starting on Jan. 14.

Lampard Not in Talks On New Chelsea Deal

Chelsea’s Frank Lampard says there is no sign of a contract extension at Stamford Bridge despite his good form.
The 34-year-old midfielder, whose present deal expires in the summer, is free to agree pre-contract terms with a foreign club in January, BBC wrote.
“We haven’t been talking about a new contract in the last couple of weeks,” Lampard said after scoring both Chelsea goals in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Everton.
“At the moment nothing has been said and my contract is up in the summer.”
Lampard’s double in the Blues’ win at Goodison Park means he is just one short of second-placed Kerry Dixon’s 193 strikes in the club’s all-time goal-scoring standings, with Bobby Tambling’s club record of 202 goals 10 away.
Assured of a place in the Chelsea history books, Lampard has done his best over recent games to prove that he has a part to play in their future as well, scoring on each of his last three Premier League starts.
He insists that he is happy as part of a team that have won their last four games in the Premier League under the guidance of interim manager Rafael Benitez.
“I’m enjoying playing, I’m working hard in training, I’m loving being part of the team,” he added.
“That is all I can tell you for the minute and that is enough for me I am happy with that - to keep playing well and to contribute to days like today.”
Benitez, who took charge in late November after the dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo, could offer no reassurance that a new deal would be forthcoming for Lampard.
“My job is to keep Lampard fit. He is a good player. He is under contract, fully committed and working hard and that is the way. We cannot say too much about this,” Benitez said.
The Spaniard, who said in November that he thought both Lampard and left-back Ashley Cole would depart at the end of the season, indicated that he would not have the final decision over which players join or leave his squad in January.

Clippers Win 17th In Row

After their 17th consecutive victory gave them a perfect month, the Los Angeles Clippers finally paused to admire their achievement.
‘’We got something extremely magical going on,’’ said Caron Butler after the Clippers beat the Utah Jazz 107-96 on Sunday night to become the third team in NBA history to record a perfect month, AP wrote.
‘’When we win we usually jump up and down once or twice,’’ coach Vinny Del Negro said. ‘’Tonight we let them jump and down three or four times, so everyone had their fill.’’
The Clippers went 16-0 in December to join the 1995-96 San Antonio Spurs, which included Del Negro, and 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers as the only teams to go undefeated in a month. Their franchise-record winning streak is the longest since Boston won 19 in a row four years ago.
‘’I am amazed because I haven’t done it since I’ve been in the league,’’ said seven-year veteran Chris Paul, whose 19 points and nine assists helped his team maintain the league’s best record at 25-6.
Butler led the Clippers with 29 points despite not playing in the fourth quarter and made all six of his 3-pointers, including five in the opening period. Jamal Crawford scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. Blake Griffin piled up five fouls and was held to seven points after getting double-teamed.
‘’That shows our depth,’’ Paul said. ‘’Our bench stepped up amazing. On any given night it can be another guy.’’
The streak isn’t talked about among the players and coaches. But it’s a popular topic among everyone else.
‘’That’s an incredible record to have,’’ Utah’s Derrick Favors said. ‘’They’ve got 17 straight wins and they’re playing hard. I know there’s a lot of pressure on them to try to keep it up, and they’re going to keep coming out and keep playing the same way.’’
Actually, it’s just the opposite, according to Griffin, who said the last month ‘’is the most fun I’ve ever had playing basketball.’’

Hashemian Commits to SV Halstenbek-Rellingen

SV Halstenbek-Rellingen coach Vahid Hashemian said on Monday that he commits himself to his current contract, which runs until the end of the season.
The 36-year-old Iranian coach was appointed as coach of the fifth-tier SV Halstenbek-Rellingen in October.
“The officials of Halstenbek-Rellingen trusted me and I will stay in the team until the end of the season. I like to coach an Iranian team in future but would rather lead the senior team,” Hashemian said.
Hashemian announced his retirement in July. He joined Persepolis in 2010 and played 22 times for the team and scored four goals.
“I was forced to quit because of my back pain. The doctors told me I should stop my football otherwise I had to undergo surgery,” former Bochum striker added.

Galaxy Move for Cudicini

Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini looks set for a fresh start in America after Tottenham announced they have reached an agreement to sell the goalkeeper to Major League Soccer outfit the LA Galaxy.
Cudicini moved to White Hart Lane in 2009 but has found his opportunities limited due to the presence of Heurelho Gomes and the arrivals of Brad Friedel and Hugo Lloris, PA Sports reported.
Indeed, the Italian is perhaps now fourth choice in manager Andre Villas-Boas’ plans so it is perhaps no surprise the north London club were looking to offload.
“We have reached agreement for the transfer of Carlo Cudgicini to Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy,” said a short statement on Tottenham’s official website.
“Carlo joined us from Chelsea in January 2009 and went on to make a total of 37 appearances. We wish Carlo all the best for the future.”

Mancini Looking For Recruits

Roberto Mancini admits he might be forced to consider signing some new players in the January transfer window.
The Manchester City manager is concerned his squad will struggle to cope with injuries and players leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations, and has ruled out selling any players, Sky Sport reported.
It has been suggested that Mario Balotelli could be on his way back to Milan while the Toure brothers - Yaya and Kolo - will be away on international duty for four weeks.
When asked if he might consider investing in new faces, Mancini said: “Probably. We can’t sell players. We don’t have enough players to play if we sell players.
“We can have a problem because we lose three players and we have Micah Richards, I don’t think he play until the end of February.
“Jack Rodwell - we don’t know when he can play. Maybe we can recover Aleksandar Kolarov in two weeks. We will see this in next days.”
Maicon has also been receiving treatment for a knee injury in Italy while Balotelli is not expected to return from a virus until the Watford game.

Milan Hoping to Keep Robinho or Pato

AC Milan are still hoping to keep at least one of their two unsettled Brazilian strikers, Alexandre Pato and Robinho, club president Silvio Berlusconi said in a radio interview on Monday.
Pato is involved in negotiations for a move to world club champions Corinthians and Robinho has also been the subject of speculation over a return home with his former club Santos among the contenders, Reuters wrote.
“I hope that only one of them leaves,” Berlusconi told Radio Lombardia. “I’m especially sorry about Pato because until he started this incredible sequence of injuries, he was Milan’s number one player for the future, a true champion.”
Pato, signed as a 17-year-old and now 23, has suffered an extraordinary 16 muscular injuries in the last two years, costing him, among other things, a place in Brazil’s squad at the 2010 World Cup.
Brazilian media have reported that he has agreed terms to join Corinthians in a deal that is expected to be finalized on Thursday.
Robinho, 28, has played for Real Madrid, Manchester City and Milan since leaving Santos in 2005, although there is a general feeling in Brazil he has never quite lived up to his early potential.
Berlusconi added that it could be two or three seasons before Milan are in the fight for honors again after they sold several top players including Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic to cut costs.
“We must devote ourselves to a work of rebuilding and I believe will not be less than three years before we get to the point where we have a team champions and turn ourselves into contenders again,” he said.

Tour of Pakistan

Bangladesh cricket team have cancelled their tour of Pakistan in January because of security concerns.