Allgemeine Diskussionen » A leadoff walk to Teixeira and Brian

MELBOURNE, Australia - Three-time champion Iran, which has the highest current ranking among all the teams competing at the Asian Cup, kicks off its campaign against Bahrain, the second of two Group C matches scheduled Sunday:___IRAN vs. BAHRAIN: Iran is one of the Cup favourites and is expected to advance from an all-West Asia group. The Iranians won the continental title in three consecutive tournaments from 1968 to 1976, but two of those were at home. Team Melli hasnt added another Asian title since.But theres extra confidence in the team heading into this tournament, with Carlos Queiroz staying on as coach after the World Cup and star forward Reza Ghoochannejhad leading the scorers in Asian Cup qualifying. He also scored for Iran at the World Cup in Brazil.We qualified with the best record of all the teams and Iran fans are expecting big things of us, Ghoochannejhad said. We need to go out and do our job and forget about the pressure. Weve been working well for the last year and I hope we can keep on making progress. I have a lot of faith in our coaching staff and Carlos Queiroz. With him by our side, were sure to succeed.Iran had a setback only days before the tournament when versatile fullback Hashem Beikzadeh was ruled out after breaking his hand in practice.Queiroz said the absence of the 30-year-old defender had caused big damage to the team, particularly after fellow defender Pejman Montazeri was ruled out last month.Still, Queiroz is confident Iran will reach the knockout stage despite a lack of practice matches and the disruptions.No excuses, no explanations, no sorry, we are just here to play the game, Queiroz said. And with the team spirit that weve been showing in the other games, we have a good chance.This will be Irans 13th appearance at the Asian Cup, equal with South Korea. The Iranians have scored more goals (112) than any other team in the tournament, and were the only squad to win all three group games at the 2011 edition.Bahrain has lost five of its past seven games at the Asian Cup finals, but comes into the 2015 tournament after conceding just one goal in qualifying.___UNITED ARAB EMIRATES vs. QATAR: The Qataris, who are building toward hosting the 2022 World Cup and are coming off their first Gulf Cup of Nations title in a decade, are expected to trouble the top teams in the tournament.The first match always difficult, and if you win its 70 to 80 per cent for qualification to the second round, Qatar striker Meshal Abdullah said. The UAE is a very good team with a lot of talent, we respect them, but we are not scared of them.Both teams have been knocked out of the Asian Cup at the group stage at each of the past three tournaments.The UAE had a 2-1 win over Qatar when the teams met in the group stage in 2007.The UAE failed to score a goal at Qatar 2011 but tallied 18 — level in top spot with Iran — in five wins and a draw in the qualifying tournament for Australia. UAEs Ali Mabkhout shared the individual scoring honours in the qualifying tournament with Iran forward Ghoochannejhad.Ali Mabkhout was also leading scorer in the recent Gulf Cup of Nations, with five goals. Custom Minnesota Vikings Jerseys . While he was away, it was the division-rival Baltimore Orioles conducting a little business of their own, scooping up Ubaldo Jimenez on Monday evening to a reported four-year, $50-million contract. Kirk Cousins Jersey . A larger-than-life personality known for his intimidating style in the 18-yard box, Schmeichels career spanned some 20 years -- including a memorable tenure at Manchester United. http://www.vikingsnflfansclub.net/Black-...-Hughes-Jersey/. After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Mike Remmers Jersey . Heavily-criticized after allowing a dozen goals on 58 shots in two games in Boston, Luongo continued his dominance at home. Hes now allowed two goals in three home games in this series. Randy Moss Vikings Jersey .ca MLB Power Rankings, the third consecutive week that the As have held top spot and the third straight week that they have been one ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays.NEW YORK -- Its been 20 months since Masahiro Tanaka lost a regular-season game -- in any country. Garrett Richards and the Los Angeles Angels had a chance to end that streak until Mark Teixeira found his power stroke from the left side of the plate. Teixeira hit a tying homer and Jacoby Ellsbury scored the go-ahead run thanks to a passed ball and wild pitch in the eighth inning, sending the New York Yankees to a 3-2 victory Sunday night. Tanaka struck out a season-high 11, including Mike Trout twice, and overcame an early bout of wildness in a tight pitchers duel with Richards. Neither starter received a decision, leaving both undefeated this year. "Tanaka had it going," Yankees catcher Brian McCann said. "It was a good team win." David Robertson struck out pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez with a runner on second to end it, and New York has won 10 of 14 after taking two of three in the series. David Freese homered for the Angels, who went 4-5 on a tough road trip to Detroit, Washington and New York. Tanaka walked four in 6 1-3 innings against the Angels, who began the day leading the majors in homers. The $155 million rookie was on the hook for his first regular-season loss since August 2012 in Japan until Teixeira homered leading off the seventh. "Obviously, I was really happy that the score was tied," Tanaka said through a translator. "I was hoping that our offence could come back and put us back in the game." New York broke the tie without a hit in the eighth, a rough inning for Angels catcher Chris Iannetta. With the score 2-all, Michael Kohn (1-1) walked Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran. Nick Maronde relieved, and both runners advanced on Iannettas passed ball. "It was a fastball right there and I just missed it," Iannetta said. "One of the dumbest plays Ive made in my career -- or not made." McCann barely stayed alive with a couple of foul tips, and Maronde bounced a breaking ball in front of the plate. The ball ricocheted off Iannetta and far enough away for Ellsbury to score easily. Adam Warren (1-1) fanned two in 1 2-3 scoreless innings. Robertson worked the ninth for his fourth save and second in two days, whiffing Ibanez seconds before security workers tackled a fan who ran into the outfield. New York managed only three hits, winning a game with three or fewer for the first time since July 7, 2006, at Tampa Bay. Tanaka had the most strikeouts by a Yankees rookie since Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez whiffed 13 Texas Rangers on Aug.dddddddddddd 13, 1998. The team said his 46 strikeouts this season are the third-most since 1900 for a major league pitcher in his first five career starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Herb Score (50) and Stephen Strasburg (48) were the only ones with more. Tanaka is 31-0 combined in Japan and the United States over his last 39 regular-season starts. He did lose Game 6 of the Japan Series last year -- before earning a save in Game 7. "First and foremost, I want to win the ballgame. But it wouldve been nice to give him his first loss," Richards said. Richards took a two-hitter and a 2-1 lead into the seventh, when Teixeira launched a 2-2 pitch into the second deck in right field for his second home run since returning from the disabled list last Sunday. It was Teixeiras first homer while batting left-handed since June 6, 2013. His season ended nine days later due to a right wrist injury that required surgery. "Thats my swing when Im healthy. Thats the swing that I want," Teixeira said. "Its a good sign that I start seeing results." Freese sent Tanakas first pitch of the sixth to right-centre for his second home run with the Angels since they acquired him from St. Louis in a November trade. Tanaka had an amazing ratio of 35 strikeouts to two walks in his first four starts, which covered 29 1-3 innings. But he struggled with his command early on this 54-degree night, walking a batter in each of the first four innings. Albert Pujols even stared out at the mound after Tanaka backed him off the plate with two straight pitches in the third. The walks caught up with Tanaka in the fou A leadoff walk to Teixeira and Brian A leadoff walk to Teixeira and Brian Roberts one-out double set up Ichiro Suzukis run-scoring groundout against Richards. "Garrett was terrific. He had explosive stuff," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think both pitchers went toe to toe. We just couldnt get it done late." NOTES: The Angels have led in 10 of their 13 losses. ... A test on INF Yangervis Solartes sore right shoulder showed no damage, New York manager Joe Girardi said. ... The Yankees are off Monday before Robinson Cano returns to New York with the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. 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