IRNA - The third Iran
Pro League champion Pas won Peace and Friendship Cup
despite squandering scoring chances here Friday.
Although the tournament was taken by the four
participating teams as a good opportunity to put their
power to the test, the IPL runner-up Esteqlal of Tehran
was seeking revenge in its confrontation with Pas in an
almost empty Azadi stadium, west of the capital.
Decimated by absence of national players, who are
prepping for the second-leg World Cup qualifier against
Jordan in Amman on Sept 8, the two sides played careless
football.
Pas missed a handful of scoring chances during the game.
In a spectacular effort, Pas national striker Arash
Borhani cleared a handful of blues in the second minute
to leave Meysam Maniei alone with an empty net to find
but he sent the ball out of the woodwork.
A carbon copy of the early event happened to Borhani two
minutes later and he did it again on seven minutes as if
a slow motion was replayed.
To keep face, Esteqlal made an attack in the 10th minute
by new signing Fred Malekian whose kick was easily saved
by Pas keeper Nima Nakissa.
Mehdi Shiri, who has newly joined the blues, curled a
free-kick inches above the Pas bar on 15 minutes.
Pas forwards proved extremely careless as the league
holder missed another gilt-edged chance in the 22nd
minute.
Borhani showed he was not a good marksman. The striker
dribbled past two defenders to find the net 13 minutes
after the restart but failed to beat Esteqlal goalie
George Tupolevic in a man-to-man
challenge.
Mostafa Ekrami`s superb free-kick was well saved by
Nakissa 10 minutes from time.
Borhani rounded his marker on the edge of the penalty box
on 88 minutes, slipping the ball for Moein Nezamoleslami,
who unbelievably sent it wide above the crossbar.
Esteqlal blamed its hoodoo as defender Pirouz Qorbani`s
headers were denied twice by the bar in the 90th minute
and injury time.
The goalless draw handed Pas the title on seven points.
Earlier, Al Shaab and Al Wasl, both from the United Arab
Emirates, fought for the third title. Al Shaab won 3-2.
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