Persian Gulf Pro League roundup:
Lackluster Persepolis, Sepahan held as Esteghlal remains on top
Persepolis and Sepahan, the two unbeaten sides in the Persian Gulf Pro League this season, were held to frustrating away draws on Sunday – a major boost for Javad Nekounam’s Esteghlal in what will likely be a three-horse race for the trophy until the end of the campaign.
Persepolis dropped points in the domestic league for only the second time since mid-March, playing to a goalless draw at Malavan FC, while Sepahan saw its perfect start to the Iranian top-flight season come to an end after sharing the spoils with Nassaji Mazandaran in a 1-1 stalemate.
Yahya Golmohammadi’s side had the majority of the ball possession but failed to create any clear-cut chances and was lucky not to be punished on the counterattacks in the closing stages of the boring contest at the Sirous Qayeqran Stadium.
Iranian international keeper Alireza Beiranvand registered his 100th clean sheet over two spells in the Reds shirt since first joining the club in 2016, but the result means Esteghlal has a two-point lead over Persepolis on top of the table after an Arman Ramezani’s first-half header had secured a 1-0 home victory over Iralco for the Tehran Blues on Friday.
Having been deducted a point for breaching the Iranian Football Federation’s financial rules, Persepolis has 16 points – two clear of Zob Ahan – with Mahdi Tartar’s Malavan in fifth on 12 points.
In Qaemshahr’s Vatani Stadium, Nassaji striker Mohammadreza Azadi bagged a fourth goal in nine outings across all competitions, when his side-footed effort from close range on a Mohammadreza Abbasi’s cross found the bottom corner three minutes after the break.
Sepahan fullback Ramin Rezaeian, whose brace led his team to a 3-1 win at AGMK in the AFC Champions League last week, showcased his impressive form of late with yet another assist, finding Mohammad Daneshgar on the near post before the center-back’s thumping header drew the visiting side level in the 67th minute.
Sepahan, also hit with a four-point deduction over the ‘budget cap’ violation, is fourth in the table – equal on points with Malavan – having a game in hand.
Elsewhere, San’at Naft and Esteghlal Khuzestan finished 1-1 in Abadan on Saturday after Ahmad Shariatzadeh’s 86th-minute equalizer canceled out Javad Aqaeipour’s opener for the southern Blues in the first-half stoppage time.
Esteghlal Khuzestan, winless after eight matches, remains rock bottom with two points, with San’at just outside the relegation zone with a superior goal difference against Foolad Khuzestan.
Having enjoyed back-to-back wins under new manager Juan Ignacio Martinez, Foolad fell to a first defeat in the Spaniard’s era after Pouria Sarabadani headed home the only goal of the match late in the first half to help newly-promoted Shams Azar pull off a second shock victory in six days, following last week’s 3-2 triumph at Tractor.
Shams Azar still had Alireza Jafarpour to thank for the maximum points as the young keeper denied Mohammad Abbaszadeh from the spot deep into stoppage time.
Golgohar and Havadar shared the points in a six-goal thriller in Sirjan.
Saeed Saharkhizan’s double and Spanish midfielder Roberto Torres’s strike midway through the second half gave Golgohar the lead on three occasions, only to see Karim Eslami and Amin Qasseminejad, twice, salvage a draw for the away team.
In Isfahan, Zob Ahan bounced back from the home setback against Mes Rafsanjan last time out, beating Tractor 1-0 thanks to Fardin Yousefi’s first-half strike.
Mes, meanwhile, claimed successive wins in the league for the first time this season.
Days after celebrating his 40th birthday, Brazilian Luciano Pereira netted his first goal of the campaign on the hour mark to steer Mes to a 1-0 win at Paykan.