Avoid clash with Iran:Park

picture Qatar,January,12-2010:Korea Republic captain Park Ji-sung is keen to avoid playing Iran in the knockout stage of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.Korea Republic sit second in Group C on goal difference behind Australia following their 2-1 win over Bahrain. Should they advance to the next stage they will play one of the two top teams from Group D which includes Iran, Iraq, Korea DPR and UAE.On Tuesday night, the Iranians looked in good form as they overcame neighbours Iraq 2-1.”Iran is a good team and we don’t want to face them in the Asian Cup knock out stage. The Iranians have a good coach [Afshin Ghotbi] who knows football,” Park was quoted in the Tehran Times as saying.
Iran defeated Korea Republic 1-0 in a friendly match back in September 2010 in Seoul.
“As you know it was a friendly, while the Asian Cup is an official event and all the participants are doing their best,” he said.
Korea Republic face Australia on Friday in a match which could decide who wins Group C

Russia and Qatar land World Cups

Russia and Qatar have won the rights to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively as announced by FIFA on Thursday in Zurich.

The result means England's roller-coaster campaign to host the 2018 World Cup ended in bitter and controversial defeat.

FIFA's executive committee voted to give the 2018 tournament to Russia ahead of England, Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium.

England looked to have suffered from a backlash against corruption investigations into FIFA members by BBC Panorama and the Sunday Times over the last two months.

India wins 1st ODI

Virat Kohli scored a century and Yuvraj Singh played the all-rounder's role as India defeated New Zealand by 40 runs in the first one-day international at Guwahati.Kohli scored 105, while Yuvraj hit 42 and then took three wickets as New Zealand were bowled out for 236 in reply to the hosts' 276.There was also 38 by Gautam Gambhir as the home side were bowled out in 46.3 overs.Andy McKay took four for 62 and Kyle Mills three for 42 for the tourists in the Nehru Stadium on an unusually easy pitch for the batsmen.

Yuvraj, Sreesanth and Ravichandran Ashwin each claimed three wickets as Ross Taylor led the New Zealand reply with 66 out of a total of 236 which lasted 45.2 overs.

Mourinho: Clasico is not title decider

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho preferred not to get swept away by the hype surrounding their showdown with Barcelona.

Madrid have enjoyed a fantastic start to life under Mourinho, with 15 victories and four draws from 19 competitive matches leaving the club top of the Primera Division standings and through to the last 16 of the Champions League and Copa del Rey.

However, they face their biggest test so far under the Portuguese tomorrow as they take on Barcelona - who are just a point behind the pacesetters in La Liga - in the first El

Federer claims fifth World Tour Finals

Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal 6-3 3-6 6-1 to equal the record haul of five Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Federer is now on par with fellow greats Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras.

The final the tournament had hoped for did not rival some of the classic encounters between the two best players of this, or arguably any, era, but it was absorbing nonetheless.

Federer was the better player throughout but Nadal, who was looking to add the one major title that has so far eluded him to his year's collection of three grand slams, put up a brave fight despite clearly not being at his best physically.

Federer, who takes home a cheque for just over £1million

Federer sets up Nadal clash

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will meet for only the second time this year in the final of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

The Swiss demolished Novak Djokovic 6-1 6-4 at London's O2 Arena.

After the drama of Nadal's titanic victory over Andy Murray earlier, the second semi-final had plenty to live up to, and although it was not in the same league as a contest, it did showcase Federer in awesome form.

The 29-year-old, who has not met Nadal since the final of the Madrid Masters in May, said: "I'm really happy to play so well

Rooney: I'm sorry for transfer fiasco

Wayne Rooney has finally apologised to Manchester United fans for the way his transfer negotiations were conducted last month.

Although Sir Alex Ferguson claimed Rooney had said sorry to his team-mates and intended to do the same to the fans when he ended a turbulent week by signing a five-year deal last month, three opportunities to make good that promise have not been taken.
Last night, following his matchwinning penalty at Rangers, Rooney offered his apology, before revealing the intense speculation about a move to City was well wide of the mark.
"I feel like I have apologised to the fans but everyone keeps saying that I haven't," said Rooney.
"If that is the case, then I apologise for my side of things.

NBA: Duncan claims Spurs record

Tim Duncan became the San Antonio Spurs' all-time highest scorer in their 94-82 win at the Utah Jazz.

The veteran centre needed 13 points to reach the legendary David Robinson's mark of 20,790 and achieved it from the free-throw line in the third quarter on his way to 19 points and 14 rebounds.
The win also ensured the Spurs maintained their equal league-best 10-1 win-loss record alongside Southwest rivals the New Orleans Hornets, who beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-101.

United prep for Fergie's long goodbye

The next manager of Manchester United looks increasingly likely to be someone with a track record of success and experience at a big club.

While no date has been set for the impending retirement of manager Sir Alex Ferguson, the club remain acutely aware of the mammoth task that lies ahead in replacing a man that has ruled over the club for 25 years and who has brought unparalleled success with him along the way.
"It's obviously crucial that the main person at any football club, or an NFL team I suppose, is the coach," Manchester United chief executive David Gill said during an American radio interview with Sirius XM.

International Friendlies Review

A Lionel Messi wonder goal saw Argentina narrowly edge out Brazil 1-0 in Wednesday's friendly international in Doha.

Messi settled an even contest in the final minute, the Barcelona star picking up Ezequiel Lavezzi's pass before slaloming past four defenders and stroking the ball home into the corner of the net.
AC Milan playmaker Ronaldinho, back in the Brazil squad for the first time in 19 months, enjoyed a solid performance on his return to the team but failed to cap it with a goal as Sergio Romero enjoyed a good night in the Argentina goal.
An own goal from Ciprian Marica handed Italy a deserved 1-1 draw against Romania in Austria.

McDowell gunning for Dubai top spot

Graeme McDowell plans to build on a run of form at the UBS Hong Kong Open to try to win the Race to Dubai.

The Northern Irishman trails Martin Kaymer by just over £320,000 after finishing third at the Singapore Open and can further eat into the German's advantage with another good performance in the European Tour's penultimate tournament of the season at Hong Kong Golf Club.
Victory would certainly boost his chances of being crowned Europe's number one at next week's Dubai World Championship, especially given that Kaymer has decided to skip the event.

NBA: Bosh on fire for Heat

The Miami Heat recorded a crushing 123-96 win over the Phoenix Suns in a day which the more-fancied franchises enjoyed big wins.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Los Angeles Lakers coasted past the Detroit Pistons 103-90 while the Boston Celtics, who lost last year's NBA finals series, thrashed the Washington Wizards 114-83.
Chris Bosh led the way for the Heat with 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting as they emphatically stopped the Suns' three-game winning streak to improve to a 7-4 win-loss record.

NBA: Lakers power past Bucks

The Los Angeles Lakers ended a two-game skid with a 118-107 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kobe Bryant led the charge with 31 points as the Lakers shook off their recent defeats to improve to a league-best 9-2.
Derrick Rose led a fourth-quarter rally as the Chicago Bulls snuck a 95-92 win over the Houston Rockets to maintain their impressive start to the season.
The Central-leading Bulls went on a 32-21 run in the final stanza to clinch a win that improves their lead in the division with a 6-3 win-loss record.
Rose had the hot hand with four-of-five from beyond the arc in a game-high haul of 33 points.

Sweden 0-0 Germany

Sweden and Germany ground out a yawn-inducing draw in Wednesday's friendly in Gothenburg.

Star names were missing from both sides, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic absent for the hosts and Mesut Ozil, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski all out for their opponents.
The game missed their quality, with neither side seriously threatening despite a handful of hopeful efforts.
Things started slowly, neither side getting the ball into the danger area in the opening minutes.
Sebastian Larsson found some space in the eighth minute but could not beat Heiko Westermann with his cross.
A 13th minute corner from Sebastien Schweinsteiger forced Swedish goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson into action and he punched clear before an attacker could meet the ball.

Portugal 4-0 Spain

Portugal inflicted a heavy 4-0 defeat on their Iberian neighbours Spain in an international friendly in Lisbon.

Goals from Jorge Carlos Martins, visiting defender Sergio Ramos, who put into his own net, Helder Postiga and Hugo Almeida sealed a deserved win for the Portuguese, who were knocked out at the last-16 stage in South Africa as Spain went onto win their maiden World Cup crown.
One of the reasons for tonight's match was to promote the two Iberian countries' joint bid to host the 2018 World Cup, but off-field alliances were firmly put to one side in a hard-fought and entertaining encounter at the Estadio da Luz.

Romania 1-1 Italy

An own goal from Ciprian Marica handed Italy a deserved 1-1 draw in a friendly against Romania in Austria.

Marica nodded the ball into his own net in the 83rd minute after substitute Fabio Quagliarella had managed to get a touch to Andrea Pirlo's corner.
Marica had earlier been poised to emerge as the hero for Romania after scoring the opener in the first half, but finished with a goal at both ends as the Azzurri battled back late on.
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli used the friendly in Klagenfurt's HYPO Group Arena to try out young players, including Mario Balotelli of Manchester City.

Holland 1-0 Turkey

Klaas Jan Huntelaar scored the only goal as Holland defeated Turkey 1-0 in a friendly international in Amsterdam.

Huntelaar struck after 52 minutes when he found the net from the edge of the area.
Turkey threatened first when Hamit Altintop's free-kick was cleared and then Burak Yilmaz saw his shot saved by Maarten Stekelenburg.
Altintop's corner was then cleared before Yilmaz had another shot kept out by Stekelenburg.
It was 15 minutes before Holland's first chance but Rafael van der Vaart's free-kick was cleared by Servet Cetin.
Van der Vaart missed with another effort before Holland's best chance of the half came when Wesley

Argentina 1-0 Brazil

Messi struck a superb stoppage-time winner to give Argentina their first victory over Brazil since June 2005.

Brazil, looking to build on promising early results under their new coach Mano Menezes, were the strongest side for most of the match which was staged in Qatar, but they could not stop Barcelona superstar Messi from pinching the late glory.
Messi collected Ezequiel Lavezzi's clever flicked pass before slaloming past four defenders and stroking the ball home into the bottom right corner of the net.

Glazers to pay off £220 million debt

The Glazer family, who own Manchester United, are set to pay off £220million of their high-interest PIK loans.

The Glazers' holding company Red Football Joint Venture will pay off the entire payment-in-kind debt next week, according to a voluntary free-payment notice seen by Bloomberg.

Aston Villa 2-2 Manchester United

Manchester United launched a comeback to rescue 2-2 draw with Aston Villa through goals by Federico Macheda and Nemanja Vidic.

Villa, lacking nine players through injury or illness, stunned United as Ashley Young and Marc Albrighton put them in command with only 15 minutes remaining.
But United rallied through Macheda and skipper Vidic to maintain their unbeaten record this season.
Nevertheless, they are still three points behind leaders Chelsea who have a game in hand against Sunderland.
Villa handed a league debut to 21-year-old reserve midfielder