Persepolis escape Cup embarassment, Esteghlal bow out [VIDEO]
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Loading...Persianfootball.com – SIRJAN, Persepolis Tehran were fortunate to come back from a goal down against second league team Gol Gohar and eventually win on penalty kicks in Iran’s Hazfi Cup quarterfinals on Thursday.
The underdogs were even reduced to ten men early in the match, but held Persepolis to a goalless draw after 90 minutes on an at least almost irregular field.
Hamid Derakhshan’s men looked like suffering a historic defeat when in first half of extra time Hamidreza Aliasgari granted the homeside a penalty kick, which was converted by Jomezadeh.
However, Mohsen Bengar equalized the game in second half of extra time to take the match to penalty kicks, where each side missed two kicks, before Sousha Makani saved his third and Mohammad Nouri converted the final try.
Archrivals Esteghlal looked like having everything under control when Arash Borhani, from offside position, and Karrar Jassem gave Esteghlal a two-goal lead in Esfahan.
But Zob Ahan came back through goals from Ghasem Dehnavi and Masoud Hassanzadeh.
After a goalless extra time, Esteghlal missed three consecutive penalty kicks whereas Zob Ahan converted all three to storm into semifinals where they will face Persepolis in Azadi stadium on December 5.
A day later Padideh Mashad will host Naft Tehran. Padideh eliminated Tractor Sazi 2-1 after extra time in Tabriz while also Naft couldn’t advance in regular time, but needed penalty kicks to get past second league side Sanat Sari.
