3/10/2006
afshin Afshar, lastkick.com

The 60th Tehran derby between the Reds of Perspolis and the Blues of Esteghlal ended in a goalless draw.

The game marked the first time that the new Dutch coach Arie Haan sat on Perspolis bench. The coaching change was immediately evident as Perspolis started the game with a very different arrangement. The most interesting change was defender Mehrzad Madanchi starting as an attacking midfielder.

Perspolis showed a more flowing football than the fans have grown accustomed to seeing from them. They were arguably the better team for the first 30 minutes of the game.

Sixteen minutes into the game the Reds had a chance to take the lead, but midfielder Pejman Noori missed from close range.

Esteghlal responded by creating a chance of their own a few minutes later but Perspolis goalkeeper Farshid Karimi did well to keep midfielder Mojtaba Jabbari’s powerful shot out of the net.

Karimi’s heroics did not stop there. Before the half’s end he denied high scoring Esteghlal striker Siavash Akbarpour in a one-on-one situation.

The game was not without controversy. Shortly before the half Perspolis defender Mohammadreza Mamani brought down Esteghlal’s Asghar Talebnasab in the box, but the referee motioned to play on.

The game somewhat slowed down in the second half, but both teams did have their chances.

First Esteghlal’s Alireza Vahedi-Nikbakht missed a great opportunity, and then Javad Kazemian was easily dispossessed by Esteghlal goalkeeper Vahid Talebloo in a one-on-one situation.

With less than ten minutes left both Esteghlal strikers, league’s top scorer Reza Enayati and his partner Akbarpour missed from close range.

In the stoppage time Javad Kazemian took a last gasp shot from outside of the box, but it sailed harmlessly over Esteghlal’s goal.

The draw leaves Esteghlal tied with Pas with 48 points, however, Pas top the table thanks to better goal difference.