Persian Gulf Pro League:
Last-gasp winner sends Tractor five points clear
Tractor closed in on a maiden Persian Gulf Pro League trophy after a 2-1 away win against Foolad Khuzestan in a rescheduled fixture from matchday 22 on Friday.
Mahdi Hashemnejad bagged the winner in the 24th minute of stoppage time to help Tractor open a five-point gap over second-placed Sepahan on top of the table with three games remaining.
Croatian striker Domagoj Drozdek put the visitors in front in the 46th minute, slotting home Mahdi Torabi’s delicate flick-on from inside the box for his seventh goal in Tractor colors since joining the club in January.
Things went from bad to worse for the home side in the 81st minute, when, following a VAR review, Malian center-back Moussa Coulibaly received his marching orders for a high boot in the opposition box.
A chaotic second half saw the game paused multiple times, resulting in 24 minutes of added time, and Foolad kept chasing an equalizer despite playing with 10 men.
The brave performance paid off in the 16th minute of stoppage time, after Tractor defender Aref Aqassi was deemed by the VAR to have handled the ball inside his own box.
Teenage substitute Abolfazl Zadeh-Attar showed nerves of steel to step up for the spot-kick, and despite having his effort saved by Alireza Beiranvand, managed to level the scoreline on the rebound.
Just when the game looked destained for a stalemate – much to Sepahan’s delight – Hasehmnejad intercepted a Sina Asadbeigi’s back pass before his composed finish found the bottom corner to send the Tractor bench into frenzy.
Friday’s result meant third-placed Persepolis, trailing Tractor by 10 points, will miss out on the Iranian top-flight crown for only the second time in nine seasons.
Tractor will play away to Shams Azar on Friday, and can secure the coveted title at home against Nassaji Mazandaran on May 8, before visiting Esteghlal Khuzestan on the final day a week later.
Sepahan, meanwhile, will play at home against Golgohar Sirjan and Esteghlal, either side of a trip to bottom-side Havadar.