Persepolis, Sepahan battle for title

MNA - Persepolis football team swept Saba Battery 4-1 in the 33rd week of the Iran’s Professional League (IPL) here at the Azadi Stadium on Wednesday.

The reds were full of joy and ambition when thrashed the team who wanted to snatch three points before a 100,000 crowd. Persepolis suffered from a lack of concentration against Bargh of Shiraz on Sunday that eventually cost them two vital points.

Being afraid of the result, Karim Bagheri gave the reds a lead in the 20th minute. Masoud Zare’ei’s textbook cross went across the goal line and the captain put it into the empty net.

Saba’s Gholamreza Rezaei equalized the match three minutes before halftime when his header bounced over keeper Mehdi Vaezi’s hands.

Persepolis could be a great loser if the match resulted in a draw. The team’s best scorer Mohsen Khaslili netted twice in the 62nd minute. He escaped the offside trap and dribbled Saba Battery’s Elmir Tulia into the box, scoring with a flick and a grin.

He scored twice in the 70th minute. Hossein Kaebi crossed the ball at the Saba’s near post and unmarked Khalili finished it off.

Jubilant Persepolis scored again to obliterate its desperate rival. The fourth goal came from Pejman Noori’s feet as he put a shot into the net when Zare’ei passed the ball into the box.

Sepahan of Isfahan, IPL’s leading team, defeated San’at Naft of Abadan to retain the top.
Ehsan Hajsafi gave Sepahan a lead before the end of first half added time. Sepahan and Persepolis will battle each other on Saturday at the Azadi Stadium for securing the title for the second time.

Sepahan tops the table with 58 points, followed by Persepolis and Saba with 56 and 52 points.

The 33rd week results are as follow:

* Persepolis 4 – Saba Battery 1
* Sepahan of Isfahan 1 – San’at Naft of Abadan 0
* Zob Ahan of Isfahan 2 – Esteghlal 1
* Esteghlal of Ahvaz 2 – Pas of Hamedan 2
* Mes of Kerman 2 – Rah Ahan 1
* Shirin Faraz 0 – Peykan 3
* Bargh of Shiraz 1 – Pegah of Gilan 0
* Malavan of Bandar Anzali 2 – Moghavemat of Shiraz 1
* Saipa 1 – Abumoslem of Mashhad 0