Powerful Persepolis pommels pacesetter

The demolition of southerners in the Azadi Stadium was a significant morale-boost for the Persepolis players and fans who lost the League Cup to Sepahan on penalties last week.

Under Turkish manager Mustafa Denizli, the red-shirted Persepolis reminded the football enthusiasts of the formidable side whose lineup comprised players of Ali Parvin, Hamid Derakhshan, Farshad Pius, and Mohammad Panj’ali calibers.

New signing Alireza Nikbakht-Vahedi was every man of the match, hitting two and providing one.

Persepolis should have scored the opener on 12 minutes when the livewire midfielder Mehrzad Ma’danchi curled a cross striker Hossein Badamaki failed to touch in front of an empty net.

Badamaki, however, showed why Persepolis transferred him from Mashhad’s Abu Moslem, clearing three markers before leaving Ma’danchi alone with the national keeper Ebrahim Mirzapur alone to beat from close range after 30 minutes.

The home team’s keeper Farshid Karimi who was the most relaxed player of the game safeguarded the lead seven minutes later when Esteqlal scorer Fereydun Fazli capitalized on a fullback Abolfazl Hajizadeh blooper but failed to beat the goalie.

In-form Mirzapur palmed away a blistering drive from Ma’danchi in the 58^th minute and a Nikbakht kick on 69 minutes.

Persepolis, however, doubled the cushion in a swift counterattack four minutes later, in which Nikbakht spotted Badamaki on the edge of the box and the striker made no mistake, rattling the back of the net with an unstoppable left shot.

The second was a prelude to the next two.

Nikbakht picked a Badamaki through ball to steer the ball past the hapless Mirzapur in the 76^th minute with a right-footed kick.

The duo combined once again 10 minutes from time and Nikbakht thanked Badamaki, finding the net with a left drive.

Esteqlal outspoken trainer Firuz Karimi told reporters that fright, absence of wingers, and the Reds’ brilliant performance wrapped up the rout.

In other Thursday’s matches, Abu Moslem stunned Sepahan 2-0, Paykan beat Rah Ahan 2-1, Saba Battery and Pas struggled to a scoreless draw, Zob Ahan and Barq tied 1-1, and Malavan-SAIPA game ended in a nil-nil stalemate.

KK/KK

END

MNA