Qandi says adios to Pro League

MNA - The football community in the central province of Yazd deeply feels sorrow at the news of relegation of its popular team Shahid Qandi from Iran Pro League Sunday.

The debutant Qandi was catapulted to the first division two weeks from the IPL with meager 19 points out of 28 games.

Qandi completed its lackluster performance with a 2-0 away loss to Malavan in Takhti Stadium, the northern port of Anzali.

Veteran trainer Majid Jalali, who was signed a few weeks after the midseason to save Qandi, is now under great pressure.

Tightrope walker

Shamushak will be most likely the second side to be victimized.

The northerners, who badly needed an away win over Abu Moslem in Sunday’s game, conceded a 1-0 loss to Abu Moslem in Thamen ul-Aemmeh Stadium, Mashhad.

The Noshahr-based side is demoted even with perfect six points from the next two games if the relegation-zone Barq snatches one point either in the 29th week or the 30th.

Railway in safety

Promoted Railway (Rah Ahan) breathed a sigh of relief with a 1-0 victory over high-flight Saipa in a derby in Ekbatan Stadium of the capital.

Hadi Asghari scored the sole goal of the match to shatter Saipa’s hopes for championship.

Saipa was second to Saba Battery that lost its slight chance for winning the fifth IPL title.

National skipper Ali Daei converted a penalty kick in the stoppage time to help Saba Battery hold Zob Ahan to a 1-1 draw in Shahid Derakhshan Stadium in Sabashahr, west of Tehran, Saturday.

The Isfahan-based visitor Zob Ahan took the lead after 74 minutes through Hassan Ashjari, but its opener was canceled out by Saba striker Daei one minute into additional time.

Saba lies in the third place with 49 points from 28 matches.

Fluctuating Persepolis

Persepolis has wavered during the season, rarely playing smooth football and having under-par performance in most of the matches.

The Reds fell behind against Esteqlal of Ahvaz in Olympic Stadium of the southern island of Kish in the boring first half of their 28th week clash.

Once national defender Ebrahim Taqipur drilled in a skipper Mostafa Eidizadeh corner with a header five minutes from halftime.

Persepolis was transformed after the break, hitting two in five minutes.

The advancing defender Shayth Rezaii toed in a midfielder Hamed Kavianpur cross in the crowded area in the 56th minute.

Persepolis celebrated the second as Raphael raced to a through ball from Mohammadreza Mamani on 61 minutes to kick the ball past keeper Khaled Shahitavi.

Esteqlal, however, scored the equalizer in the 76th minute, poking home from close range.

Tehran’s Esteqlal and Pas are title hopefuls with 55 and 52 points respectively.