Fifth Iran Pro League 21st-week matches

IRNA - The 21st-week matches of the 16-strong fifth Iran Pro League Friday:

HONORS ARE EVEN FOR SAIPA, ZOB AHAN
Pacesetter Saipa and Zob Ahan split the points with a scoreless draw in Enqelab Stadium in Karaj, 35 km west of the capital.

Saipa extends its leadership with 40 points and the Isfahani team Zob Ahan occupies the sixth spot on 30 points.

Assisted by linesmen Heidar Shakour and Iraj Shahrizadegan, Khodadad Afsharian refereed the match.

More than 6,000 spectators watched the game.

FAJR-BARQ DERBY ENDS IN STALEMATE
Fajr-e Sepassi and Barq fought to a goalless tie in Hafezieh Stadium in the southern capital Shiraz.

The draw left Fajr in the eighth place with 30 points and Barq in the 13th spot on 22 points.

Referee Hedayat Mombeyni booked three players from each side.

Around 5,000 fans were in the stadium.

DAEI DOUBLE STUNS SEPAHAN
National skipper Ali Daei hit his double to inspire visitor Saba Battery into a 2-0 victory over Sepahan in Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium in the central capital Isfahan.

Daei ended his scoring drought as he converted a penalty kick two minutes after the restart and found the net in the 54th minute.

Saba leaps to fourth place with 33 points and Sepahan moves down to seventh spot with 30 points.

Fereydoun Esfahanian refereed the game.

PAS DISPOSES OF ABU MOSLEM, TAKES SECOND SPOT PROVISIONALLY
Pas provisionally stuck to the heels of table-topper Saipa with a 1-0 away win over struggling Abu Moslem in Takhti Stadium in the northeastern capital Mashhad.

Striker Arash Borhani scored the sole goal of the match in the 39th minute.

Pas has 38 points and his new standing changes if the capital's Esteqlal gains at least one points in Monday's derby against Rah Ahan in Azadi Stadium.

Abu Moslem is in the 10th place with 24 points.

SHAMOUSHAK WINS BOTTOM-OF-THE-TABLE CLASH AGAINST QANDI
Bottom-placed Shamoushak leapfrogged promoted Shahid Qandi with a 1-0 home victory in Shohada Stadium in northern city of Noshahr.

Ali Azari grabbed the winner in the 30th minute, raising the northern side's hopes of distancing itself from the relegation zone in the remaining nine weeks.

Shamoushak lies in the 15th spot on 18 points and the Yazd-based Qandi sticks to rock bottom with 16 points.

Referee Iraj Nazari and linesmen Hassan Khanban and Sohrab Saei judged the game.

Some 3,000 fans watched the match.

HOLDER FOULAD FIGHTS BACK TO BEAT PERSEPOLIS
Holder Foulad came from one goal down to defeat home team Persepolis 3-2 in Azadi Stadium in Tehran.

Defender Ali Ansarian took the lead for Persepolis from the penalty spot in the 38th minute, but his opener was canceled out by Iraqi striker Emad Reza, whose left drive kissed the net just before the break.

Substitute Hojjat Chaharmahali put the visitor ahead in the 65th minute when a through ball from national right winger Hossein Ka'bi took a deflection off his foot into left corner of the reds' net.

Persepolis, however, leveled the match in the 79th minute as striker Javad Kazemian unmarked in the box rifled home a low cross from captain Hamed Kavianpour.

Ansarian turned "bad boy" two minutes from normal time for conceding a penalty by bringing down Reza. Omid Sharifi-Nassab fired home the spot-kick.

The victory helped Foulad jump to the fifth place with 32 points and the position of Persepolis, ninth place, remains intact despite the defeat.

Massoud Moradi judged the match.