Reza hat-trick bittersweet to blues

MNA – Sepahan’s Iraqi striker Emad Reza hit his hat-trick to upset blue-shirted title hopeful Esteqlal of Ahvaz and to please the capital-based pacesetter Esteqlal in a rescheduled 24th week match in central city of Isfahan Friday.

The visiting side would leapfrog table-topper if it beat Sepahan in Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium, but it conceded a 4-0 humiliating defeat.

Reza escaped the offside trap twice to beat the helpless keeper Hamidreza Babaii in a man-to-man challenge in the ninth and 41st minutes.

The fast-paced forward celebrated the third seconds before the interval when his teammate Hossein Papi’s drive was denied by the crossbar and he sent the rebound in with a left-footed shot from close range.

Not to be outdone, Esteqlal made raids on Sepahan woodwork after the break, but it was the home side that added the fourth to its tally. Fullback Mohsen Bengar outjumped his marker to head home.

Esteqlal skipper Saeid Ramezani blamed his hoodoo as he hit the post for the second time one minute from normal time.

The dramatic loss left Esteqlal of Ahvaz in the third place of the 16-strong table of the sixth Iran Pro League on 49 points and goal difference.

Esteqlal of Tehran tops the table on 51 and automaker SAIPA sticks to the leader’s heels with two points less.

Later in the day, Persepolis disposed of struggling Malavan 1-0 in Tehran’s 100,000-seater Azadi Stadium as the nimble forward Hossein Ka’bi sent a Robert Saha cross in on 73 minutes.

The red-clad Persepolis should have doubled the scoring on 87 minutes through Hossein Badamaki from the penalty spot, but the striker failed to convert the spot-kick.

Persepolis is fourth on 47 points, above fifth-placed Sepahan that has garnered 45.

In other games, Fulad overcame Barq 4-2, Zob Ahan defeated Rah Ahan 2-1, and Abu Moslem saw off Saba Battery 2-0.