IRNA - Surprise package
SAIPA fought back to upset the newly-promoted Saba
Battery in the fifth week of the fourth Iran Pro League
here Friday.
Robert Marcusi put the home side Saba ahead in the 29th
minute but SAIPA defender Mehdi Hashemi-Nassab leveled
the match in the 45th minute and Ali Karimi made it 2-1
five minutes into the second half.
The victory helped last season`s underdog extend its
leadership on 12 points.
In other Friday`s matches, Malavan and Abu Moslem fought
to a 1-1 draw in torrential rain in Bandar Anzali, Pegah
and Sepahan shared the points as the game ended 1-1, and
the two teams of Zob Ahan and Esteqlal of Ahvaz gained
victories over Paykan and Fajr-e Sepassi.
Malavan and Abu Moslem did not find the net before the
break but Hadi Nazar-Pak opened the scoring for the
northerners on 74 minutes,
which was canceled out by visiting Sepahan`s Abdollah
Shah-Hosseini one minute from time.
Pegah took the lead in the 16th minute when Hamid
Mohammadkhani fired home but Sepahan managed to salvage a
point as striker Rassoul Khatibi scored the equalizer two
minutes after the restart.
Sepehr Heidari helped visitor Zob Ahan beat Paykan 1-0,
grabbing the winner on 87 minutes.
Esteqlal of Ahvaz thrashed the Shirazi side 3-0 with two
goals by Hojjatollah Zad-Mahmoud on 14 and 15 minutes and
one by Amir Khalifeh-Asl in the 69th minute.
The three remaining fifth-week matches are held Sunday.
Barq takes on Foulad, Shamoushak plays Persepolis, and
Pas arrays against Esteqlal of Tehran.
