Persepolis Moves Eight Points Clear at Top of IPL
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Persepolis football team defeated 10-man Naft Tehran 2-0 to move eight points clear at top of the Iran Professional League (IPL) on Sunday.
Naft Tehran was reduced to 10-man just five minutes into the match after the team’s goalkeeper Nader Safarzaei touched the ball outside the penalty area.
Soroush Rafiei gave the visiting team a lead in Tehran’s Takhti Stadium with a long-range shot in the 57th minute.
With three minutes remaining, Mehdi Taremi extended the lead from the close range.
Earlier in the day, Sepahan defeated Zob Ahan 2-1 in Isfahan derby.
Uzbek midfielder Server Djeparov scored in the 9th minute and Masoud Hassanzadeh doubled the lead in the 26th minute from the penalty spot.
Jerry Bengtson pulled a goal back in the 87th minute from the spot.
Persepolis leads the IPL table with 53 points, eight points clear of Tractor Sazi.