IPL: Esteghlal Earns Big Win against Tractor
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Esteghlal football team defeated Tractor after seven years and nine months in Tabriz in the Iran Professional League (IPL) on Friday.
The Blues defeated Tractor 4-2 at the full-packed Yadegar-e Emam Stadium.
Mohammad Reza Azadi put Tractor into the lead in the 20th minute but Malian forward Cheick Diabate equalized the match in the 40th minute.
In the 65th minute Diabate made the match 2-1 after Tractor goalkeeper Rashid Mazaheri failed to save the ball and the unmarked forward opened the net.
Diabate made a hat-trick four minutes later after dribbling past Mazaheri.
Tractor pulled a goal back in the 79th minute after Sasan Ansari was on target with a header but with five minutes remaining, Ali Karimi score Esteghlal’s fourth goal with a powerful shot.
In Isfahan, Zob Ahan celebrated its first win after nine weeks, beating rock-bottom Shahin Bushehr 2-0.
Milad Fakhreddini (32nd – penalty) and Amir Arsalan Motahari (72nd) scored for Zob Ahan.
In Sirjan, Gol Gohar was held to a goalless draw by Paykan.
Sepahan remains top of the table with 19 points, two points above Tractor and Shahr Khodro.
Esteghlal is seventh, four points adrift of the top.