Persian Gulf Pro League preview:
Esteghlal looking to continue perfect home run, Sepahan seeking consolation
Esteghlal will be looking to maintain its 100-percent record in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium when taking on Sepahan in a highly-anticipated Persian Gulf Pro League encounter today.
A victory will see the capital Blues extend the gap on archrival Persepolis to six points on top of the table before the Reds play away to Zob Ahan on Wednesday.
Sepahan, meanwhile, is desperate to snap a five-game losing streak across all competitions – including back-to-back 3-1 defeats against Saudi giant Al Hilal in the AFC Champions League last 16.
The Isfahan-based club is the only team to have inflicted a loss on Javad Nekounam’s men in the Iranian top flight this season and a repeat of the 1-0 triumph in last August’s reverse fixture will be enough for Sepahan to leapfrog Persepolis into second spot with a game in hand.
Elsewhere, Golgohar will host Nassaji Mazandaran in Sirjan – in head coach Saket Elhami’s first game on return to the visiting side’s bench – with Foolad Khuzestan and fourth-place Malavan squaring off in Ahvaz’s Foolad Arena.
On Wednesday, Tractor will be hoping to bounce back from last Wednesday’s 2-0 setback at Persepolis when welcoming in-form Esteghlal Khuzestan, which steps into the contest on the back of a massive comeback victory over Iralco in a five-goal thriller last week.
Shams Azar will face Moharram Navidkia’s resurgent Mes Rafsanjan in Qazvin, while Paykan and San’at Naft Abadan go head-to-head in Tehran.
Former Iranian international midfielder Masoud Shojaei will be looking to continue the impressive start to his managerial career when his Havadar team visits Iralco in Arak.