Persepolis closing in on league title, Sepahan remains in the hunt
Persepolis picked up where it left off – before the Persian Gulf Pro League came to a halt in late February due to the coronavirus pandemic – by overcoming bottom-side Paykan 3-1 on Sunday to keep a 10-point lead on top, edging ever closer to a fourth consecutive title.
Second-placed Sepahan, nevertheless, beat Golgohar Sirjan 2-0 in Isfahan a day later to avoid further gap in the title race.
A late double by wunderkind Mehdi Abdi and an Ali Alipour’s first-half header sealed an easy victory for Yahya Golmohammadi’s men before Shahryar Moghanlou gave Paykan a late consolation from the spot to move atop the top-scorers chart with 11.
Reds’ victory meant that Sepahan had no room for error against Majid Jalali’s struggling side.
It only took Amir Qalenoei’s men nine minutes to take the lead when Mohammadreza Hosseini headed home a Mohammad Tayyebi’s cross.
Soroush Rafiei secured the win for Sepahan in the first half, scoring from the penalty spot.
Also on Sunday, Tractor was stunned 1-0 at home by Nassaji Mazandaran – courtesy of a third-minute Hossein Zamehran’s goal – to fall further behind in the race.
In Mashhad, Saeid Sadeqi scored either side of Ivan Markovic’s equalizer as Shahr Khodro beat Zob Ahan 2-1 to move up to fourth in the table and remain in contention for an AFC Champions League spot.
Blue days
Esteghlal looked to bounce back from last Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat at Foolad Khuzestan, when Masood Rigi gave the Blues a 15th-minute lead with a stunner from the edge of the box against the bottom-half side Saipa.
However, Farhad Majidi’s men gave away the lead when Farshid Baqeri scored an own goal right before the interval.
Missing striking duo Amir-arsalan Motahhari and Cheick Diabaté, Esteghlal failed to break the deadlock in the second half as a third consecutive game without a win saw the Blues fall to fifth place – 13 points adrift of archrival Persepolis.
Javad Nekounam’s Foolad – fresh off last Wednesday’s win – capitalized on Esteghlal and Tractor slips and beat Mashinsazi Tabriz 2-1 in Ahvaz to move up to third in the table.
Farshad Ahmadzadeh and Luciano Pereira scored in each half to cancel out Babak Moradi’s fourth-minute opener.
Elsewhere in the league, Shahin Shahrdari Bushehr and Naft Masjed Soleyman played to a 2-2 draw in Bushehr, while San’at Naft Abadan eased past Pars Jonoubi Jam 2-0 at home.
Next in the league, Persepolis will play Shahin Shahrdari at the Azadi Stadium on Saturday, with Tractor facing San’at Naft in Tabriz.
On Sunday, Sepahan will play away to Saipa and Esteghlal will have a trip to Pars Jonoubi Jam.
Golgohar and Nassaji will host Shahr Khodro and Foolad respectively.