Persian Gulf Pro League:
Late drama in Azadi Stadium as momentum shifts in Reds’ favor
The two-horse race for the Persian Gulf Pro League crown took a pivotal twist on Friday as Esteghlal relinquished the top spot to archrival Persepolis with two games to spare.
Uzbek winger Oston Urunov bagged the winner deep into stoppage time as Persepolis pulled off the most sensational of comebacks in the Iranian top-flight history, scoring four in the final 20 minutes to beat 10-man Esteghlal Khuzestan 4-3 in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.
In the simultaneous match, Esteghlal was held to a frustrating goalless draw at Nassaji Mazandaran as Javad Nekounam’s Blues lost their hold on the title fate.
There was little to separate the two sides in a cautious game in Qaemshahr’s Vatani Stadium, with the best chance of the contest coming the visiting side’s way with two minutes left on the clock, with Brazilian keeper Luan Polli making a heroic save to deny Payman Babaei’s well-hit strike from the edge of the box.
The result, coupled with the Reds’ dramatic victory, saw Esteghlal, which led the table for the best part of the campaign, drop to second –one point adrift of Persepolis – while it was enough for Saket Elhami’s men to take yet another step toward survival as Nassaji is now 13th in the table – four points clear of the relegation zone.
Magnificent fightback
When the halftime whistle was blown at the Azadi Stadium, the Reds’ quest for a seventh league trophy in eight years seemed to be all but over.
Alireza Kazemi’s composed finish gave relegation-threatened Esteghlal Khuzestan a surprise lead with four minutes into the game and the home side, desperately looking for an equalizer, was stunned again in the 41st minute, with Iraqi striker Aso Rostam smashing home into the bottom corner.
Kazemi netted his second of the night with a superb strike right before the interval to put Sirous Pourmousavi’s side on course for the biggest upset of the season.
Persepolis coach Osmar Vieira made three changes for the start of the second half but his men still struggled to find a way through before a game-changing incident in the 57th minute saw Brazilian midfielder Sávio Roberto receive his marching orders for a second bookable offense.
The Reds fans, however, had to wait another 20 minutes to see their team get off the mark – thanks to referee blowing in his whistle for a spot-kick after Vahid Amiri, introduced at halftime, was brought down in the box.
Hossein Kan’anizadegan kept his nerve to wrongfoot southern Blues goalkeeper Farzin Garousian from the spot and then set up Danial Esmaeilifar, whose low drive went in through the keeper’s legs two minutes later.
Persepolis striker Issa Alekassir continued his impressive form of late with an 86th-minute equalizer before Urunov’s last-gasp strike on the rebound sent the Reds bench and supporters into utter jubilation.
The late heartbreak saw Esteghlal Khuzestan drop into the bottom two, while Foolad Khuzestan made the most of the result in the capital by beating Zob Ahan 1-0 in Ahvaz – courtesy of Moussa Coulibaly’s second-half header – to open a three-point lead on its city rival.
Elsewhere, the league’s leading marksman Shahriar Moghanlou scored his 16th goal of the campaign with Ramin Rezaeian also on the scoresheet as Sepahan defeated Havadar 2-0 at the Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium to remain third in the table.
Fourth-place Tractor shared the spoils with Paykan in a goalless encounter in Tehran – a massive point for the latter, who is above Nassaji in the standings on goal difference.
Sajjad Shahbazzadeh’s second-half goal helped Mes Rafsanjan walk away with a 1-0 win at Malavan, while Iralco defeated Golgohar 3-2 in Sirjan.
Maysam Tohidast scored a double, the second coming in the second minute of added time, as San’at Naft Abadan came from behind twice to play to a 2-2 home draw against Shams Azar, though the final outcome was barely a relief for the host, which is rock bottom in the table with 21 points – four away from the safety zone.