Persian Gulf Pro League roundup:
Sepahan beaten by Tractor as title race heats up
Sepahan’s 1-0 away defeat against Tractor on Friday meant the top three in the Persian Gulf Pro League are now separated by a single point.
Former Persepolis player Reza Asadi kept his composure to score from the spot in Tabriz’s full-packed Yadegar-e Imam Stadium after Brazilian Gustavo was brought down in the box by Sepahan midfielder Masoud Rigi just after the hour mark.
Despite the untimely setback, Jose Morais’s men remain top of the table with 52 points but now have Esteghlal level on points with them, while Persepolis closed the gap on top to one point after a comprehensive victory over Malavan FC.
Earlier on Friday, in-form winger Mehdi Qayedi fired home the winner 10 minutes after the break as Esteghlal walked away with a massive 1-0 win at Aluminium Arak.
On Thursday, Mehdi Torabi and Saeed Sadeqi were on the scoresheet in the first half and Brazilian substitute Leandro Pereira netted his first goal for the Reds with eight minutes remaining to help Persepolis beat Malavan 3-0 at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.
Elsewhere, Mohammad-Amin Hazbavi and Sassan Ansari scored in each half as Foolad Khuzestan defeated Nassaji Mazandaran 2-0 in Ahvaz’s Foolad Arena.
Mes Rafsanjan edged bottom-side Naft Masjed Soleyman 1-0 to get back in the winning ways – courtesy of Mohsen Azarbad’s strike right before the interval – while San’at Naft Abadan won the battle of strugglers at home, beating Mes Kerman 2-1, thanks to Ahmad Shariatzadeh’s spot-kick deep into stoppage time after Ahmad Nasiri canceled out Mehdi Mamizadeh’s opener for the home side.
In Isfahan, Amirhossein Jeddi bagged the winner with 15 minutes left on the clock to lead Zob Ahan to a 1-0 win against fourth-placed Golgohar Sirjan.
Paykan came out victorious against Havadar thanks to Ebrahim Salehi’s goal late in the first half.