Zealous Zob denies Esteqlal second spot at league dying moments

MNA – Zob Ahan finished runner-up to Fulad with a dramatic home 3-2 win over Persepolis at the stoppage time in Isfahan, denying the capital’s Esteqlal on goal difference Monday.
The three-horse second-place tussle was tantalizing enough to give the 16-team fourth Iran Pro League a deserved closing.

With an asset of 57 points before its last clash against Sepahan, Esteqlal needed a home victory in Azadi Stadium to celebrate the runner-up title with certainty while Zob and Persepolis, having 55 points, were eagerly waiting for an Esteqlal slipup.

It took the blue-clad Esteqlal 13 minutes to find the visitor’s net as the league’s best scorer Gholam-Reza Enayati receiving a through ball from shaven-headed Alireza Mansurian brought his tally to 20 with a neat side-footed shot.

Not to be outdone, Zob took the lead against the reds in Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium eight minutes from the break with a curling free-kick from Mehdi Rajabzadeh.

Enayati, who had a yearning to set a goalscoring record, failed to convert a penalty kick in the second half.

The situation was aggravated on 65 minutes when Sepahan fast-paced striker cleared keeper Vahid Taleblu before poking in.

Esteqlal’s hopes were raised three minutes later following a defending blunder Enayati took optimal advantage, leaving midfielder Siavash Akbarpur alone with an unguarded net to find from close range.

Persepolis, which had leveled the match with striker Sohrab Entezari’s goal, was pegged back again as Zob import Rudriguez headed home.

Esteqlal was on a knife-edge four minutes from time. Khatibi grabbed his double in a man-to-man challenge against hapless Taleblu.

Persepolis winger Javad Kazemian sent the blues wild with applause one minute into additional time when he made it 2-2 against Zob.

But the dramatic moment came three minutes later. Iman Heidari gatecrashed Esteqlal’s party with a winner just before the final whistle, giving Zob Ahan a 3-2 win and the runner-up title.

Fulad lifted the trophy on 64 points out of 30 games and the two teams of Paykan and Pegah were relegated.

In other Monday’s matches, Abu Moslem lost to Saipa 1-0, Paykan was beaten by Fajr-e Sepassi 2-1, Malavan whitewashed Saba Battery 2-0, Barq crushed Pegah 4-1, and Shamushak was defeated by Esteqlal of Ahvaz 3-1.