Persian Gulf Pro League:
Tractor held as Sepahan, Persepolis given title lifeline
Persian Gulf Pro League leader Tractor was held to a 2-2 draw at Chadormalou on Friday, while the chasing pack Sepahan and Persepolis claimed narrow victories against relegation strugglers to boost their slim title hopes with four rounds of matches remaining.
Hadi Habibinejad produced a moment of brilliance midway through the first half at Yazd’s Shahid Nasiri Stadium to put Chadormalou in front with a superb solo strike, before Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh’s header drew the visitors level right before the break.
Mohammadreza Hosseini’s 56th-minute own goal put Tractor on its way to a fourth successive league victory, but Reza Mahmoudabadi bagged the equalizer for the home side six minutes later, sending goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand the wrong way from the spot.
The draw left Tractor, which has a game in hand at fourth-placed Foolad Khuzestan, on top of the table with 55 points – two points clear of Sepahan.
Sepahan had a Javad Aqaeipour’s sixth-minute header to thank for a hard-fought 1-0 win at home against Mes Rafsanjan.
Mes was unlucky to leave the Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium empty-handed – hitting the woodwork twice through Reza Jabireh and Issa Moradi – though the visiting side still remained three points above the relegation zone after Nassaji Mazandaran – second from bottom in the standings – suffered a 1-0 loss to Persepolis at home.
Making only his second start of the campaign, academy product Alireza Enayatzadeh netted his first goal in the Persepolis colors, heading home Milad Mohammadi’s cross in the 65th minute.
Both sides finished the game with 10 men, with Nassaji’s Alexander Merkel and Persepolis substitute Mohammad Khodabandelou receiving their marching orders after a VAR review for reckless challenges.
The VAR again intervened deep into stoppage time to give the home side the opportunity for a last-gasp equalizer, deeming Persepolis fullback Yaqoub Barajeh to have handled the ball in his own box.
However, French fullback Kevin Yamga’s effort from the spot hit the post as Nassaji remained in the bottom two with 21 points, while Persepolis moved to within four points off Tractor.
Persepolis will host Sepahan in a crunch Iranian classico on Friday, with Tractor welcoming Malavan to the Yadegar-e Imam Stadium in Tabriz.
Elsewhere, Malavan defeated Khaybar 3-0 at home, courtesy of goals from Reza Ja’fari, Omid Nourafkan, and Mehdi Abdi, while Golgohar and Iralco played to a goalless stalemate in Sirjan.
Shams Azar and Zob Ahan shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in Qazvin.
The home side’s Navid Komar bagged a 90th-minute strike to cancel out Pedram Qazipour’s opener for the visitors on the hour mark.
Bottom club Havadar was on the verge of a third win on the bounce – through Dariush Shojaeian’s second-half strike – but was left heartbroken by Brazilian Kaina’s 95th-minute equalizer for Esteghlal Khuzestan as it finished 1-1 in Ahvaz.