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Iranian Hazfi Cup:
Esteghlal beats Foolad Hormozgan to progress into last eight
Persian Gulf Pro League heavyweight Esteghlal defeated third-tier club Foolad Hormozgan 2-0 to advance to the Iranian Hazfi Cup quarterfinals.
Center-back Saman Fallah gave Ricardo Sa Pinto’s men an early lead, smashing home from close range three minutes into the game at the Shahid Nassiri Stadium in Yazd.
Young midfielder Esmaeil Qolizadeh doubled the advantage when his effort from inside the box found the bottom corner with 12 minutes left on the clock as the Tehran Blues remained on course for a second successive trophy in the domestic cup competition.
Standing between Sa Pinto’s side and a place in the semifinals will be Khaybar FC, which stunned Sepahan 3-1 at Isfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium to advance.