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MNA – Esteqlal had a five-year wait to win the
16-strong Iran Pro League here Friday. Closely trailed by Pas, the Blues
were welcomed on to the pitch of Azadi Stadium by an unexpected 110,000
crowd and they responded with a 4-1 romp over basement club Barq.
Esteqlal had a high-tempo start, beating out-of-sort Barq keeper Ashkan
Namdari twice in the first 13 minutes.
Topscorer Gholamreza Enayati, who won the “Golden Boot” award with a 21-goal
tally, opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a point-blank header from a
left winger Alireza Nikbakht-Vahedi perfectly weighted cross.
Enayati’s striking partner, Siavash Akbarpur, sparked wild celebrations
among flag-waving fans three minutes later. The frolic forward’s 35-yard
cannonball compounded with an unforced error from Namdari found the back of
the net.
The blooper prompted Barq Croat manager Zlatko Ivankovic to bring on No. 1
keeper Reza Haj-Osbuii.
Barq skipper Mohammad Maturi had the best chance on 21 minutes to pull one
back from close range, but he caused no trouble for the high-spirited goalie
Vahid Taleblu.
Mehdi Shiri, once Esteqlal midfielder, gave the Blues a scare in the 28th
minute, seeing his curling set-piece ricochet off the post.
Nikbakht and Akbarpur tested Haj-Osbuii with two ferocious drives before the
break.
Esteqlal laid siege to Barq’s area for most of the second half, but it was
the visitor’s Qassem Razmi, who hit the post five minutes after the restart.
Haj-Osbuii made two superb saves and was assisted on 66 minutes by the
crossbar that bounced back an unstoppable kick from midfielder Hossein
Kazemi.
The third, however, came on 74 minutes with Akbarpur roaring to a clever
through ball from Kazemi and clearing the helpless keeper before poking
home.
Not to be outdone, Enayati completed the Barq
rout, flicking the ball over advancing Haj-Osbuii 12 minutes from time.
Barq was forced to play with 10 men in the last 11 minutes as Maturi was
sent off by referee Mohsen Torki for his second bookable offense.
The visitor should have scored the opener following bodychecking from
Esteqlal defender Amir-Hossein Sadeqi with seven minutes to go. Substitute
Behruz Pak-Niat failed to convert the spot-kick, but he scored the
consolation goal, heading home a Shiri corner four minutes deep into
stoppage time.
Under manager Amir Qal’e-Noii, Esteqlal lifted the trophy on 59 points, one
above the asset of runner-up Pas that made an astonishing comeback to
overcome third-placed Saba Battery 4-2 in an away match in Shahid Derakhshan
Stadium.
There were six more games. Sepahan beat Persepolis 2-0, Abu Moslem stunned
Fulad 4-1, Rah Ahan defeated relegated Shamushak 2-1, Malavan saw off Zob
Ahan 3-1, Esteqlal of Ahvaz handed relegated Shahid Qandi a 3-2 loss, and
Saipa romped past Fajr-e Sepassi 2-0.
Fulad was the champion of the 4th edition.
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