Esteghlal overpowers Pas to top IPL table

PTV – TEHRAN, Tehran’s popular soccer team Esteghlal has won a 3-2 home victory over Pas to stand on top of the Iranian Premier League (IPL) table.

The capital-based Blues, coached by Parviz Mazloumi, edged out Pas at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on Friday and climbed to the top of the standings with 33 points in the 17th week of IPL.

The two sides showed a boring match in the first half, but Esteghlal stepped up the tempo of the game and midfielder Esmail Sharifat scored the opener for the home side in the 37th minute.

The lead didn’t last long for Mazloumi’s side as Hamid Kazemi leveled matters for the away team just a minute later.

In the dying minutes of the first half, Esteghlal’s striker Arash Borhani put his side ahead again.

In the second half, the two sides were almost at the same football level. Ten minutes before time, Borhani doubled his tally before Pas reduced the deficit through Rouzbeh Shahalidoust just before the final whistle.

In another match the same day in the city of Ahvaz, Foulad routed Shahrdari Tabriz 4-0 to move up to the 7th spot of the IPL standings. Malian player Bakary Diakite and Arash Afshin scored twice each for Majid Jalali’s side.

And in Qom, Saba defeated Malavan 1-0 with Saeid Salarzadeh’s own goal.

Esteghlal is leading the 18-team league table with a match more than Zobahan which faces Steel Azin on Saturday. Zobahan, Mes, Persepolis and Sepahan are placed 2nd to 5th respectively.