Esteghlal Tehran Remain Winless
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Loading...teammellitalk.com – TEHRAN, Week 5 of the Iranian Pro League resumed after the long international break with six draws but the main headline is that Esteghlal Tehran remain winless.
Two matches were played on 9 September as Gostaresh Foolad lost 1-0 at home to FC Mashad courtesy of a lone goal scored by Rouhollah Seifollahi in the 90th minute.
Sanat Naft Abadan endured their first defeat of the season in a 2-1 loss away from home against Naft Tehran. Croatian defender Igor Prahic put Naft Tehran in front after eleven minutes with his first goal of the season. Former Esteghlal Khuzestan striker Hakim Nassari equalized for Sanat Naft seven minutes later.
Five minutes after the hour mark, striker Mohammad Ghazi scored what turned out to be the winning goal to give Naft Tehran a 2-1 victory over Sanat Naft Abadan.
Ghazi has now scored in three consecutive matches for Naft Tehran and has appeared in all five matches this season. Ghazi has not featured for Team Melli since 2013 but perhaps his recent form might warrant an invitation from Carlos Queiroz for Iran’s crucial qualifiers against Uzbekistan and South Korea in October.
On 10 September, all five matches ended in ties starting with a scoreless stalemate in Tabriz between Tractor Sazi and Persepolis.
In Isfahan, Siamak Nemati’s goal for Paykan in the 18th minute was cancelled out by Hossein Papi in the 68th minute to give Sepahan a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
Defending champions Esteghlal Khuzestan were unable to find a goal in a 0-0 draw against Padideh in Mashad.
In Qom, Zob Ahan took the lead at the start of the second half on a goal from Morteza Tabrizi but Ahmad Hassanzdeh equalized for hosts Saba Qom in the 76th minute. Saba Qom were able to equalize despite being reduced to ten men after defender Hamidreza Divsalar received his second yellow card nearly twenty minutes earlier.
Four goals were produced in an entertaining match between Foolad Khuzestan and Saipa in Ahvaz. Forward Masoud Hassanzadeh put Saipa in front when he scored his first goal of the season in the 24th minute.
Sasan Ansari finally tied it up for Foolad in the 74th minute and defender Abdollah Nasseri scored what appeared to be the winning goal in the 90th minute to give Foolad a 2-1 lead but the always dangerous Mehdi Torabi equalized for Saipa in stoppage time to ensure that both teams would share the spoils in a thrilling finish.
On 11 September Esteghlal Tehran got off to a fast start at home against Machine Sazi with a goal from Kaveh Rezaei in the 7th minute. The Blues were hoping to seal their first win of the season but Saman Jahan equalized for Machine Sazi seven minutes into the second half.
Persepolis currently sit on top of the table with eleven points while Esteghlal Tehran sit in the fourteenth position with three points in what has been a frustrating season so far for new Esteghlal head coach Alireza Mansourian.
Written by Art Eftekhari
