Esteqlal has staged a late comeback from
two goals down against Saipa of Alborz at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium to share the spoils with their opponents in the 25th week of Iran’s Premier League (IPL).
Amin Manouchehri of Saipa celebrated his birthday in style by scoring a brace in the 33rd and 58th minutes to put the away team in the driving seat.
Esteqlal, who were themselves the victims of a dramatic Persepolis comeback in their 3-2 Tehran derby defeat on Thursday, pulled one back on the hour mark through Fereydoun Zandi.
Zandi was on target again on the stroke of full time to complete the Blues’ recovery of the two goal deficit.
The draw means Esteqlal return to the IPL summit with 47 points, while Saipa, too, ascended a single slot to occupy the eighth position in the standings.
In the other match of the day, Zob Ahan and Mes Sarcheshmeh played out to a goalless draw at Kerman’s Shahid Bahonar stadium. The result did not change the teams’ standings as Zob Ahan still sits in the eighth spot of the table with 33 points and Mes Sarcheshmeh is at the bottom with 18 points.
