The listless 1-0 victory of the hosts rewarded them a temporary position at the top of the table that can last even longer if the blue giants of Tehran lose their away fixture on Friday against the long-time residents of the bottom three in Ahvaz.
Esteghlal of Khuzestan edge passed Gostaresh Foulad of Tabriz at home to collect the three points of the event and get the top of the table with 23 points and above Esteghlal of Tehran who are slated to play their 12th event on Friday.
The hosts were rewarded a penalty kick at the 36th minute of the match that was converted a minute later by Meysam Dowraghi and remained the only goal of the event till the end of the legal grace.
Now the Ahvazis expect their fellow citizens to show vigor in the face of blue giants of Tehran and let them lead the pack for more than night, as Foulad of Khuzestan are to line up against Esteghlal of Tehran in Ahvaz.
In the other five fixtures of the round on Friday, Padideh of Mashhad, Saba of Qom, Tractorsazi of Tabriz, Saipa of Tehran and Sepahan of Isfahan are slated to host Rah Ahan of Tehran, Zowbahan of Isfahan, Malavan of Anzali and Naft of Tehran.
In the last fixture of the twelfth round, at Azadi stadium of Tehran, the red giants of the city are to host Esteghlal of Ahvaz who have been left rooted to the bottom of the Persian Gulf table since the very beginning of the new season.
YNG /2972547