TEHRANTIMES - Persepolis football team saw off Saba 1-0 in the 23rd week of Iran Professional League (IPL) in front of 10,000 fans at Qom’s Yadegar-e Emam Stadium on Friday.

Farshad Ahmadzadeh scored the sole goal of the match for Persepolis in the 42nd minute.

“It was one our toughest match in the league. We took a very important three points. We are title contender once again.

“Saba is a very strong side which I believe could be in the top three but in the whole 90 minutes we were the better side and we deserved the three points,” Branko Ivankovic said in the post-match press conference.

Persepolis moved back to the third place with 39 points from 23 games. Esteghlal is currently at the top with 43 points while Esteghlal Khouzestan stands in the second place with 42.

Elsewhere in Ahvaz, Esteghlal Ahvaz won the bottom table clash against Rah Ahan. The host team beat Rah Ahan 1-0 thanks to the Taleb Rikani’s 62nd minute goal.

Esteghlal Ahvaz sits at the IPL bottom with 12 points while Rah Ahan stands in 15th place with 18 points.

Video of Iran Pro League week 23