Esteqlal squanders Enayati treble

IRNA - Esteqlal spoiled a first-half hat-trick by striker Gholam-Reza Enayati as it was held by visitor Malavan to a 3-3 tie in the rescheduled 18th week match of the fifth Iran Pro League in Azadi Stadium in western Tehran Tuesday.

Enayati celebrated his opener in the second minute when he rose to send a Mehdi Amirabadi well-flighted cross into an unguarded net with a header.

Esteqlal celebrated the second as the duo combined once again.

Amirabadi's cross found Enayati in the box and the forward easily headed home.

Malavan pulled one back in the 13th minute following a foul from Esteqlal defender Amir-Hossein Sadeqi on Malavan striker Mohammad Gholami in the area.

Mohammad Gholamin converted the spot-kick.

Gholamin came close to the equalizer on 24 minutes after he cleared his marker to face Esteqlal keeper Mehdi Rahmati, who saved his kick in two separate efforts.

The northerners, however, leveled the game in the 30th minute.

Maziar Zare' raced to the right and dribbled past defender Amir Ebrahimi, leaving Gholami alone with helpless Rahmati to beat with a side-footed kick from close range.

Enayati sent fans into ecstasy in the 33rd minute, diving to head home a curling cross from playmaker Mojtaba Jabbari.

Esteqlal played cautiously after the interval, but it almost scored the fourth two minutes into stoppage time with Enayati's drive hitting the post.

Malavan left a bad taste on blues' palate, making it 3-3 in the third minute of additional time. Mojtaba Qorbani's cross passed embarrassed defenders and found Gholami, who unbelievably fired home in an unbalanced position.

The dramatic draw left Esteqlal in the second spot on 37 points out of 20 games.

Malavan lies in the 11th place with 24 points.