June 06, 2006	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 9, 1427

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FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (Germany) June 5: With two of Iran's best players trying to get fit in time for the team's opening World Cup match against Mexico, coach Branko Ivankovic is encouraged that Ali Karimi has recovered from a knee injury.

Karimi, who plays for German champion Bayern Munich, injured knee ligaments in a league match in March. He joined Iran's team for some light practice Monday ahead of an evening warmup match against a local club team.

''He did very well,'' Ivankovic said. ''I was especially impressed by his enthusiasm, and his fast changes of pace during the play session.''

The Iranians see their first match against Mexico next Sunday as crucial for their chances to reach the knockout phase of the tournament, saying the North Americans will be a tougher opponent than Portugal, which Iran plays on June 17. Its final Group D opponent is Angola on June 21.

''Mexico is a very solid and tight-knit team. Unlike Portugal, the Mexicans don't rely on three or four star players,'' said Zlatko Petricevic, a fellow Croat who has coached several first division clubs in Mexico.

He is now helping Ivankovic prepare for the opening match.

Several hundred Iranian and local fans gathered outside the stadium gates, waving flags and chanting players' names.

Iran is counting on its three German-based players _ Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavikia and Vahid Hashemian _ as well as Messina defender Rahman Rezaei, to anchor the team.

Mahdavikia, a midfielder for Hannover 96, suffered a back injury in practice last week. On Monday, he limited himself to jogging around the track under the team doctor's supervision.

''He is highly motivated and I expect he'll be in top shape for Mexico'' Ivankovic said.

More worrying, however, is that goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour had to limp off the field during the practice session.

''His knee is hurting so we won't press him to play tonight,'' Ivankovic said.-—AP