Berlin, June 30,
IRNA

An Iranian football delegation discreetly visited the northwest German town of Wesel two months ago, inspecting a likely site for the Iranian national football team's 2006 World Cup headquarter, the Germany-based iran-fussball portal said Thursday.

"The Iranians toured the stadium and the hotel accommodations," the head of Wesel's municipal sports department, Wolfgang Jung confirmed.

According to Jung, talks with the Iranian side focused on "testing the facilities for a few days".

"However a test is not planned for this year. The Iranian federation has no intention of holding a training camp in Wesel for 2005," the German official stressed.

The Iranians' visit was apparently arranged by a German travel agency in Wesel whose co-owner is former Bundesliga coach Peter Neururer.

The ex-VfL Bochum trainer has still close contacts to his former player Vahid Hashemian.

29 June 2005
AFC

TEHRAN: English Premier League clubs are chasing Iranian players after the team's qualification for the 2006 World Cup. According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Team Melli's central midfielder Javad Nekounam, while Aston Villa are in the hunt for wonderkid Hossein Kaebi.

Nekounam, 24, plays for 2004 Iran Pro League champions Pas, who have qualified for the AFC Champions League quarter-finals. Apart from the English Premiership club, the UAE's Al Ahli are also interested in signing Nekounam.

Kaebi, 19, who has been hailed as the future of Iranian football, struts his stuff for Qatari club Al Sadd and played a major role in the club’s Emir’s Cup victory this year.

Berlin, June 29
IRNA

Hertha Berlin striker Ashkan Dejagah who has been targeted by Iranian national football team coach Branko Ivankovic, was nominated for Germany's Under-19 national team for the European Cup in Northern Ireland, slated to take place from July 18-29, the local press said in Berlin on Wednesday.

According to the Iranian sports media, Dejagah who holds dual German and Iranian citizenship, was supposed to be invited for the Iranian national team training camp in England at the end of July ahead of the August 17 Asian World Cup qualifier in Japan.

The German-Iranian teenage football sensation has repeatedly expressed readiness to play for Team Melli, if he is nominated by coach Ivankovic.

Dejagah is regarded by football experts as one of Germany's great future football hopes.

June 28, 2005
Soccernet, Roberto Gotta

Readers with a long memory may remember that almost two months ago I took a trip to Vicenza, the town in Veneto whose team was trying to keep its collective head above water in Serie B.
(more…)

Jun 28, 2005
FootballAsia.com

TEHRAN – Iran international Arash Borhani scored three times as AFC Champions League quarter-finalists Pas stormed into the last eight of the 2005 Hazfi Cup with a 4-1 hammering of defending champions Sepahan.
(more…)

By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer Writer
June 25, 2005

Brazil defeated Germany 3-2 Saturday to reach the Confederations Cup final behind two goals by Adriano and a penalty kick by Ronaldinho. The Brazilians will play for the title Wednesday in Frankfurt against the winner of Sunday's semifinal between Argentina and Mexico in Hanover.

Adriano scored in the 21st and 76th minutes, and Ronaldinho converted the penalty kick in the 42nd after Robert Huth pushed Adriano. Germany, which had the better of the play, got goals from Lukas Podolski on a header in 23rd minute and Michael Ballack on a penalty kick in first-half injury time after he was fouled by Emerson.

"It's wonderful to beat Germany here," Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said. "We showed our technical ability, but also a lot of courage in order to win the game."

The game was a replay of the 2002 World Cup final in Japan, won 2-0 by Brazil for its fifth World Cup title. Germany hosts next year's tournament. (more…)

By Kevin Fylan

FRANKFURT, June 19 (Reuters)

Substitute Masashi Oguro pounced with 14 minutes to go to give Japan a 1-0 win over Greece on Sunday and keep the Asian champions in contention at the Confederations Cup. (more…)

Berlin, June 17
IRNA

Hansa Rostock striker Amir Shapourzadeh denied Iranian news reports that he has been contacted by the Iranian Football Federation to join the upcoming training camp of the Iranian national football team. (more…)

Quarter-final 1: Al Ahli (KSA) v Shenzhen Jianlibao (CHN)
Quarter-final 2: Shandong Luneng (CHN) v Al Ittihad (KSA)
Quarter-final 3: Busan I’Park (KOR) v Al Sadd (QAT)
Quarter-final 4: Al Ain (UAE) v Pas (IRN)

Semi-final 1: Winner QF 4 v Winner QF 1
Semi-final 2: Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 2

Final: Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2