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. Riley Reiff Jersey . 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. Stefon Diggs Jersey . Peko, a fourth-round pick in 2006, started all 16 games and a playoff loss to San Diego last season. He was second on the line with 72 tackles and had a career-high three sacks. Minnesota Vikings Jerseys . "I knew it was gone. I mean, I felt it," the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year said. "I havent felt like that in a while. I havent got extension on a ball in a pretty long time.FIVE QUICK NBA HOOPS THOUGHTS Happy Holidays to all. May each of you have a wonderful Holiday Season. Lets chat some hoops. 1. JOSE CALDERON (Mavericks): Loved what I saw from him last Friday night in Dallas. Tremendous confidence right now in his shooting which sets the table for his screen and roll game. Playing in the back court with Monta Ellis has opened up his game and having a future Hall of Famer in Dirk Nowitzki to attract double teams is ideal for him. Good landing spot for him. 2. MARCO BELINELLI (Spurs): Another former Raptor. Boy, the Bulls could sure use him now with their offensive woes. Terrific pickup for his new team. Hes got three-point shooting ability and nifty creativity off the bounce. Good competitor that fits the best System team in the league. Isnt it amazing? The Spurs always find a way to add a guy who makes sense for their team. They know what theyre doing. 3. JOHN SALMONS (Raptors): Its funny how guys grow on you when you see them at work each day. I have a better appreciation of hiss game up close. Ben Gedeon Jersey. Always respected his scoring punch yet never appreciated how smart a player he is. He is a sound defender and can create scoring chances for teammates. Heady and capable player. 4. ARRON AFFLALO (Magic): His name gets tossed around in trade talks yet he produces. A steady combo guard who has good versatility in his game. Like him. Energetic guy who can put pressure on defences. If youre looking to add a third guard on a very good team hes an ideal guy to target. 5. JEREMY LAMB (Thunder): Scott Brooks now has more firepower off his bench with Reggie Jackson and this guy. Shooting right around 40 per cent from three-point range and is getting more confident in playing in the lane with physical contact. Uses screens well and moves without the ball with a purpose. Big part of the James Harden trade for GM Sam Presti. Hes slowing his game down, reading situations better and becoming more efficient. Hes going to be an important piece to their success as this season progresses. Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap Jerseys From ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Jerseys ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaNFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '