Iranian Hazfi Cup:
Esteghlal edges Paykan to remain on course for silverware
Esteghlal edged out second-tier club Paykan 1-0 at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on Saturday to advance to the Iranian Hazfi Cup semifinals.
Ramin Rezaeian found the net with a spot-kick in the 74th minute to help Esteghlal end a nine-game winless run across all competition.
Paykan keeper Hossein Shahriari collided with teenage midfielder Zarqam Saadavi – making a first start in Esteghlal colors – when punching the ball away from a corner-kick, which prompt referee Reza Mahdavi to point to the spot after a VAR review.
Rezaeian sent Shahriari the wrong way for his 12th goal of the season, as interim coach Mojtaba Jabbari got off to a winning start to his role on the Blues bench.
Jabbari took over from Montenegrin Miodrag Bozovic last week to become the sixth coach in the Esteghlal dugout since the start of the season. Ex-Esteghlal midfielder will be eager to steer the Blues to cup silverware and put a lid on a dreadful campaign, which has seen the club sit 11th in the Persian Gulf Pro League table with three games remaining.
Awaiting Esteghlal in the last-four clash at home on May 23 is San’at Naft Abadan.
San’at, the only second-division club left in the competition, also had a second-half penalty from skipper Taleb Rikani to thank for a 1-0 win against Shahrdari Nowshahr at home later on Saturday.
Elsewhere, a shootout defeat at Malavan left defending champion Sepahan on the brink of finishing the season without a trophy.
There was little to separate the two top-flight sides throughout the contest, as it finished goalless before Malavan keeper Habib Farabbasi denied Reza Shekari and Reza Asadi from the spot to lead his team to a 4-2 victory.
Malavan will play away to Golgohar Sirjan on May 22 for a place in the final showpiece.
Golgohar enjoyed a comfortable 3-1 victory at Nassaji Mazandaran on Friday to progress.
Senegalese center-back Ousmane Ndong scored twice for the visitors either side of Ali-Asghar Aashouri’s strike, with Mansour Baqeri bagging a consolation for Nassaji from the spot with four minutes left clock.