Khatoon secures 11th league crown, continues reign in Iranian women football
Bam Khatoon defeated Malavan FC 2-0 on Thursday to secure a record-extending 11th title – fourth in a row – at the Iranian Women’s Pro League.
Fatemeh Pasandideh found the net for the visitors in the 42nd minute and Fatemeh Geraeili doubled the lead for Marzieh Ja’fari’s girls 10 minutes from normal time.
With one game to spare, Khatoon is top of the 10-team table with 49 points, thanks to 16 wins in 17 outings – scoring 67 goals, while conceding only five.
Thursday’s triumph was Khatoon’s 61st victory in a remarkable 69-game unbeaten run in the league.
Having finished runner-up to Melbourne City in Group B of the AFC Women’s Champions League last August, Khatoon will play away to South Korea’s Incheon Red Angels in the single-legged quarterfinal of the inaugural competition on March 22.
It was a neck-and-neck race on top of the standings up until last week, before Khatoon walked away with a massive 2-0 win at Sepahan to steer clear of the its nearest rival.
Sepahan was held to a 1-1 stalemate at home against fourth-placed Ista Kurdistan on Thursday to remain second with 43 points – nine points clear of Golgohar Sirjan.
Elsewhere, Ava Tehran fell to a 2-1 home defeat against Tam Isfahan to join Setaregan Salimi in relegation to the second division.
Setaregan suffered a 3-0 loss to Golgohar – a 17th defeat in as many games for the bottom club – while Palayesh Gas shared the spoils with Taran Alborz in a 1-1 draw at home to sit third from bottom with 14 points – four above the relegation zone.