Eyni OG wraps up reds win, Saipa holds Saba

IRNA - Defender Mehdi Eyni scored an own goal to give the visiting red-shirted Persepolis a badly-needed 1-0 victory over Barq in the eighth week of the fifth Iran Pro League in the southern capital Shiraz Thursday.

The capital's Persepolis, which has had a lackluster performance in the new season, arrayed against Barq in Hafezieh Stadium without veteran manager Ali Parvin, who vowed to leave the club unless it resolves financial problems he blames for poor performance.

Persepolis winner came as new signing Ali Alizadeh raced to the right in a swift counterattack to feed striker Sohrab Entezari in the goalmouth. But the slipping Eyni sent the ball into an unguarded net before finding Entezari.

Of seven games, Persepolis has collected nine points.

In Thursday's other match, Saipa struggled to a 1-1 draw against Saba Battery in Shahid Derakhshan Stadium in Sabashahr.

Yadollah Akbari took the lead for home team Saba on 15 minutes, but Hamid Rajabi leveled the match in the 60th minute, splitting the points between the two capital-based sides..