Shahrdari of Tabriz is comfortably leading Group One of the Iranian First Division and is very likely to get promoted. With Tractor-Sazi safely sitting in the middle of the table, this means that Tabriz could join an elite group of Iranian cities outside of the capital of Tehran that have more than one team in the top league.
The other Tabriz club that is quietly making a name for itself is Gostaresh of Foolad. Although this First Division team is in sixth place in Group Two and has only an outside chance of getting promoted, they are somewhat of a Cinderella story when it comes to the Hazfi Cup tournament.
Against all odds Gostaresh has managed to earn a spot in the Semi-Finals of Hazfi Cup along the better known names like Persepolis of Tehran, Saba of Qom, and Zob-Ahan of Isfahan, the team they are to meet in the first leg of their semi-final match. Gostaresh are the first lower division team that has made it to the Cup semi-finals in five years.
What makes Gostaresh special is that with a few exceptions most of their players are local boys. The only well known name amongst their squad of unknowns is the former Team Melli striker Rasoul Khatibi. The man engineering the team’s success on the field is veteran coach Farhad Kazemi, and the financing the team are a few of the city’s influential and successful businessmen.
Tabriz fans realize that if Gostaresh somehow beats all odds and wins the Cup, it will become the first ever Tabrizi Club to play in the AFC Champions League and that has really electrified them.
Although Tractor remains to be the most popular Tabriz club by far, many of the city’s football fans, including many from Tractor ranks, have vowed to attend the match on Friday and support their local team.
“Even though Gostaresh is a new club, it is a local club and we must support it”, says Alper.
Another fan, Reza, who is a big Tractor fan vows to be there as well, “We’ll be there with red wrist bands (Tractor’s colour) and blue Gostaresh flags”
“Coach Kazemi should know that he’s got us Tabrizi football fans behind him and his team. He needs not to worry, we’ll be there even it rains, snows, or hails tomorrow!” says Gartal.
With diehard supporters like these, Zob-Ahan are certain to face more than just a stiff competition on the field. And as we all know in a Cup match anything may happen.