12/1/2007
By Kaveh Mahjoob, lastkick.com

A Two Horse Race in Iran

From week to week, Iran’s Persian Gulf League, witnesses a similar storyline. Perspolis and Sepahan beat up on the opponents while all others struggle to position themselves somewhere along the ranking table away from the bottom two. It also seems like that along the way on weekly basis, Malavan and Saba switch places for third and fourth.

This week, Perspolis won at a tough spot in Shiraz against Barg. Another late goal by golden striker Khalili enabled the REDs to win for the 10th times in 15 matches. Coach Afshin Ghotbi’s has now managed to tie Iran’s best consecutive matches without a loss in a single season at 15. Elsewhere, Sepahan that soon will be attending the FIFA World Club games defeated the tough Saba. Sepahan has three games in hand and is six points behind Perspolis. It is conceivable for them to pass Perspolis however, week 17, the last week of the first half of the season, when Perspolis and Sepahan meet each other should determine the mid-season champions.

Esteghlal, the BLUEs, had their new head coach Karimi on the bench but managed an uninspired match and lost to Pas. They are 15 point off the top and despite millions of their supporters’ wishes, Esteghlal is far away in the rankings at the 9th position.

At the bottom of the table, Pegah finally won a match. The victims were Ali Daei’s Saipa. Saipa was last year’s champ but this year they are struggling mightily and Daei should expect to see a new coach to replace him soon.

COACHING UPDATE

New week brought more changes at the coaching ranks.

Esteghlal (9th place) – Karimi who had been coaching Esteghla of Ahvaz started his times with the new club with a loss. Hejazi is now simply the technical director.

Esteghlal of Ahvaz (6th place) – OUT is Karimi to Esteghlal and IN is Jalali. Jalali.

Mes (14th place) – Kazemi could be out of the club by week’s end. Reports have it that he has submitted his resignation as the head coach of Mes.

Saipa (16th place) – Daei is out of time. Calls are made by many for him to resign gracefully.

Sanat Naft (17th place) – Ghassempoor has been in hot water for weeks. The water is now boiling. With nine losses, southern fans in Abadaan have no more patience left.

RESULTS

Here are the results of the 14th week:

Home teams are noted first

Perspolis 1 – Barg 0

Saba Battery 0 – Sepahan 1

Esteghlal of Ahvaz 4 – Moghavemat Sepasi 1

Pas 1 – Esteghlal 0

Zobahan 2 – Sanat Naft 1

Saipa 1 – Pegah 2

Shirin Faraz 0 – Abumoslem 2

Mes 2 – Paykan 3

Malavan 2 – Rahahan 1

TABLE RANKINGS

1 – Perspolis 35 points

2 – Sepahan 29 (three games in hand)

3 – Malavan 26

4 – Saba Battery 25

5 – Pas 23

…

9 – Esteghlal 20

…

16 – Saipa 13 (one game in hand)

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

1 and 23 – Pegah finally won. Twenty weeks and over two and half years since their last victory, Pegah won a match at the expense of Saipa and Ali Daei.

18 – Number of months without a Football Federation Chief. Iran’s football has not had a permanent federation chief since June of last year.

25 – Perspolis has not lost in 25 consecutive weeks.

360 – 360 minutes or four matches without allowing a goal is how Perspolis has kept the grip at the top of the table.

Kaveh_Mahjoob@hotmail.com