Tehran Times - Sepahan football team defeated Paykan 1-0 to return to top of the Iran Professional League (IPL), while Esteghlal lost to Tractor Sazi 1-0 in Tabriz on Friday.
Amir Ghalenoei’s side beat Paykan 1-0 thanks to Siavash Yazdani’s goal in the 11th minute at the Shahr-e Qods Stadium.
Sepahan now sit top of the IPL with 38 points, one point ahead of Persepolis.
In Tabriz’s Yadegar-e Emam Stadium, Tractor Sazi defeated Esteghlal 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Ashkan Dejagah in the 53rd minute.
Esteghlal made several chances in the last minutes of the match but their strikers failed to find the back of the net.
“I am satisfied with my team’s performance but I think Dejagah should have been sent off in the first half for his foul on our player,” Esteghlal coach Winfried Schaefer said in the post-match news conference.
“The referee came to me after the final whistle and apologized for his mistake,” the German coach added.
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Furthermore, struggling Sepidrood were held by Machine Sazi 1-1 in Rasht.
Machine Sazi forward Ehsan Taeidi scored in the 78th minute but Meysam Tohidast canceled the goal in the 90th minute.
On Thursday, Persepolis had defeated Esteghlal Khuzestan 2-0 in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium and Padideh were held to a 0-0 draw by Sanat Naft Abadan.