PLDC - Tehan, Arash Borhani, the Esteghlal striker whose form and performance has dropped significantly in recent years, speaks about the derby and Persepolis.

Borhani said, "The derby was different from all other games. All the fouls they (Persepolis) committed wasted a lot of time and it was an ugly game. Our half-backs were purely focused on stopping their endless long balls. I didn't expect Persepolis to play like this. If we took the match more serious, we could have done better."

When asked whether his team played for a draw, Borhani replied, "Both teams came to win and no one wanted a draw. It has been a few years now that Persepolis hasn't been able to gain good results or even finish in the top five. Our players expected them to perform the same as the past derbies. If we had played more motivated, we could have won."

He concluded, "Persepolis only has a big name. They haven't been good for a few years. But maybe now they can improve with Ali Daei, and perhaps the second derby this season will be better."

By: Arman Tamjidi