Persepolis wraps up victory over Paykan before break

The Reds, whose last week superb performance in the 4-0 rout of Ahvazi side Esteqlal forced over 50,000 faithful to flock to the Azadi Stadium, played a smooth, crowd-pleasing football in the first half.

Paykan, however, missed a scoring chance after nine minutes when new signing Mohsen Bayatinia sent the ball wide above the woodwork.

Persepolis fans unfurled their flags and blew their horns in the 16^th minute as Ehsan Khorsandi deftly picked a Saha long ball before beating his marker Mehdi Tajik and keeper Kurosh Moradi with a classy drive from an acute angle.

Khorsandi turned provider on 38 minutes, leaving Alireza Nikbakht-Vahedi alone with the empty net, but the midfielder unbelievably steered the ball over the crossbar from close range.

Striker Hossein Badamaki twice duped Paykan’s Mehdi Nuri behind the box two minutes later, sending a chill down Moradi’s spine with a right-footed shot that dangerously passed the far post.

Moradi made a goalkeeping blunder three minutes from the interval by unnecessarily leaving the woodwork to palm away a cross in a crowded box. It was enough for Nikbakht to compensate for his loss, chesting down the rebound to find the unguarded net with a perfect lob.

Although Persepolis was far from its first-half dazzling form, it should have at least doubled the scoring after the restart.

Mehrzad Ma’danchi was given enough space and time on 77 minutes to get onto the scoresheet in a man-to-man challenge with Moradi, but the striker dillydallied to be dispossessed of the ball behind the 5.5-yard area.

Ma’danchi spoiled his second chance on the last minute, surprisingly heading a Badamaki cross above the crossbar.

Paykan, in a rare attack, fired home through Bayatinia nine minutes from normal time, but the referee Mahmud Rafiei ruled out the opener as the striker was flagged offside.

The victory helped Persepolis move up to the second spot with one match in hand.

In other matches, the nine-man SAIPA thrashed lowly Rah Ahan 3-1, the last-gasp Sepahan came from behind to overcome the visiting Barq 3-1, and Malavan stunned host Pas 2-1.

SAIPA took the top spot provisionally.

League holder Esteqlal of Tehran entertains Saba Battery in the Azadi Stadium Tuesday night.

KK/KK

END

MNA