MNA - Persepolis started 8th
edition of the Iranian Premier League (IPL) with a convincing victory
against Saipa in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on Monday.
Defending champions defeated the newly-appointed Pierre Littbarski’s team
1-0 in front of about 50,000 raucous spectators.
Before Pejman Nouri’s long-range goal in the 43rd minute, Persepolis
strikers created some chances but failed to score each time.
In the 30th minute, captain Karim Bagheri chested the ball down behind
Saipa’s box and hit a shot out of Mirzapour’s goal.
In the beginning of the second half Bagheri earned two more opportunities
but failed to score each time.
Bagheri, who was declared the best player of the last season, also could not
score at the end of the match.
First, he sent the ball out of an empty net, and shortly after that, his
long shot landed on the net.
Just before Hedayat Mombeini blew the final whistle Javad Ashtiani of Saipa
could have evened the score but his shot narrowly scraped past the post.
