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MNA – Persepolis handed the sixth Iran Pro
League table-topper Esteqlal of Ahvaz a 4-0 licking in the fourth week here
Thursday.
The demolition of southerners in the Azadi Stadium was a significant
morale-boost for the Persepolis players and fans who lost the League Cup to
Sepahan on penalties last week.
Under Turkish manager Mustafa Denizli, the red-shirted Persepolis reminded
the football enthusiasts of the formidable side whose lineup comprised
players of Ali Parvin, Hamid Derakhshan, Farshad Pius, and Mohammad Panj’ali
calibers.
New signing Alireza Nikbakht-Vahedi was every man of the match, hitting two
and providing one.
Persepolis should have scored the opener on 12 minutes when the livewire
midfielder Mehrzad Ma’danchi curled a cross striker Hossein Badamaki failed
to touch in front of an empty net.
Badamaki, however, showed why Persepolis transferred him from Mashhad’s Abu
Moslem, clearing three markers before leaving Ma’danchi alone with the
national keeper Ebrahim Mirzapur alone to beat from close range after 30
minutes.
The home team’s keeper Farshid Karimi who was the most relaxed player of the
game safeguarded the lead seven minutes later when Esteqlal scorer Fereydun
Fazli capitalized on a fullback Abolfazl Hajizadeh blooper but failed to
beat the goalie.
In-form Mirzapur palmed away a blistering drive from Ma’danchi in the 58th
minute and a Nikbakht kick on 69 minutes.
Persepolis, however, doubled the cushion in a swift counterattack four
minutes later, in which Nikbakht spotted Badamaki on the edge of the box and
the striker made no mistake, rattling the back of the net with an
unstoppable left shot.
The second was a prelude to the next two.
Nikbakht picked a Badamaki through ball to steer the ball past the hapless
Mirzapur in the 76th minute with a right-footed kick.
The duo combined once again 10 minutes from time and Nikbakht thanked
Badamaki, finding the net with a left drive.
Esteqlal outspoken trainer Firuz Karimi told reporters that fright, absence
of wingers, and the Reds’ brilliant performance wrapped up the rout.
In other Thursday’s matches, Abu Moslem stunned Sepahan 2-0, Paykan beat Rah
Ahan 2-1, Saba Battery and Pas struggled to a scoreless draw, Zob Ahan and
Barq tied 1-1, and Malavan-SAIPA game ended in a nil-nil stalemate.
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