SAIPA stuns Saba, retains top spot

IRNA - Surprise package SAIPA fought back to upset the newly-promoted Saba Battery in the fifth week of the fourth Iran Pro League here Friday.
Robert Marcusi put the home side Saba ahead in the 29th minute but SAIPA defender Mehdi Hashemi-Nassab leveled the match in the 45th minute and Ali Karimi made it 2-1 five minutes into the second half.
The victory helped last season`s underdog extend its leadership on 12 points.
In other Friday`s matches, Malavan and Abu Moslem fought to a 1-1 draw in torrential rain in Bandar Anzali, Pegah and Sepahan shared the points as the game ended 1-1, and the two teams of Zob Ahan and Esteqlal of Ahvaz gained victories over Paykan and Fajr-e Sepassi.
Malavan and Abu Moslem did not find the net before the break but Hadi Nazar-Pak opened the scoring for the northerners on 74 minutes,
which was canceled out by visiting Sepahan`s Abdollah Shah-Hosseini one minute from time.
Pegah took the lead in the 16th minute when Hamid Mohammadkhani fired home but Sepahan managed to salvage a point as striker Rassoul Khatibi scored the equalizer two minutes after the restart.
Sepehr Heidari helped visitor Zob Ahan beat Paykan 1-0, grabbing the winner on 87 minutes.
Esteqlal of Ahvaz thrashed the Shirazi side 3-0 with two goals by Hojjatollah Zad-Mahmoud on 14 and 15 minutes and one by Amir Khalifeh-Asl in the 69th minute.
The three remaining fifth-week matches are held Sunday.
Barq takes on Foulad, Shamoushak plays Persepolis, and Pas arrays against Esteqlal of Tehran.