Esteqlal Stands Third in Iran Four-Sided Football Tournament

MehrNews - Esteqlal of Tehran finished third in a four-sided tournament of Iran’s Football Association as it overcame the UAE’s Al Wasl here Friday.
Playing the third-place playoff in Takhti Stadium, southeastern Tehran, the Emirati side struggled to a 1-1 draw against the blue-clad Esteqlal but the visitor lost the match 3-2 in the normal time.

Esteqlal took the lead in the 20th minute as Alireza Vahedi-Nikbakht headed home a Mohammad Navazi corner.

Former striker of Esteqlal and top goalscorer of Al Wasl, Farhad Majidi, fired an angled shot just inside the penalty area, finding the left corner net of the blues in the 34th minute.

Nikbakht scored his own and side’s second in the 61st minute, heading home again a superb cross from Navazi.

The blues celebrated the third eight minutes later as advancing defender Firouz Qorbani’s header kissed the net after touching Al Wasl goalkeeper’s hand.

Al Wasl minimized the gap by its second goal scored by Tareq Dervish, who headed home a Majidi cross.

Sepahan, the Isfahani champion of the second Iran Pro League, and Pas of Tehran will fight for the trophy in the next match.