Ben Somerford
Sometimes football produces real drama. Drama that is better than any film or television program. After all, that is half the attraction of the game along with the skill, style and speed.
But just occasionally the events which occur on a football pitch can produce results beyond belief. Real-life drama. Theatre if you may.
That was the case as this season’s Iranian Pro League came to a close a fortnight ago in spectacular circumstances, with drama that couldn’t be scripted.
To begin the story it is necessary to go back to 27th February when Iranian giants Perspolis (Piroozi) and Sepahan drew 0-0. The result left powerhouse club Esteghlal and the upstarts of Zob Ahan as the only realistic title contenders with Piroozi and Sepahan some eight points off the pace with only half a dozen games to go. It would be a two-horse race.
Zob Ahan had enjoyed a great season, but undoubtedly Esteghlal, the blue giants from the capital Tehran, were expected to claim the title.
Indeed, on 4th March when the two sides met at Zob Ahan’s Naqsh-e-Jahan Stadium separated only by a point at the top of the table, it was some occasion.
The Blues enjoyed the one point lead, along with a considerable goal difference advantage, going into the clash against their title rivals, who hail from the city of Isfahan, some 430 kilometres south of Tehran.
Zob Ahan, though, enjoyed home advantage in this crucial clash and with just four games to go after the encounter, it could have been the day the title was decided.
The hosts started the game in an attacking mood and after barely eight minutes Zob’s Brazilian topscorer Igor put them ahead.
Hassan Ashjari’s deep cross from a free-kick was met by Zob skipper Mohammed Salsali, who squared the ball with Esteghlal keeper Vahid Taleblou in no-man’s-land, before Igor scrambled it home. Things were looking good for Zob Ahan and they held onto their advantage until the break.
But ten minutes into the second-half Zob Ahan’s Senegalese goalkeeper Issa Ndoye was harshly adjudged to have brought down Blues captain Farhad Majidi in the box. On replays it seemed the shotstopper had punched the ball away before colliding with the Esteghlal man, but the penalty stood.
Esteghlal’s Iranian international midfielder, Mojtaba Jabbari, stepped up to take the penalty and he emphatically beat Ndoye, who went the wrong way, to level the game, much to the delight of the strong away support.
A goal a piece was the way it would end, and effectively it was as you were in the title race but with the Iranian league taking a month break, Zob Ahan may have felt they’d missed the chance to gain a psychological advantage over Esteghlal who remained on top of the table.
Upon the re-commencement of the league in early April both sides returned to the winner’s list with Zob Ahan beating struggling Payam 2-0, while Esteghlal defeated Malavan 3-0 with the competition’s topscorer Arash Borhani grabbing a double.
The following weekend the Blues slipped up and lost their lead at the top of the table after drawing 0-0 at Foolad Khuzestan, while Zob Ahan won 2-1 at Bargh Shiraz.
And on 16th April in the penultimate round of the season, Zob Ahan put forward their credentials as would-be-champions with a clinical 3-0 victory over Malavan, while their powerhouse rivals from Tehran stumbled to a 1-1 home draw against 2006/07 league champions Saipa.
After a tense goalless eighty-odd minutes against Saipa, the Blues won another timely penalty which Borhani converted on 88th minutes to have Esteghlal ahead at the death. But the visitors dramatically equalised in injury-time through Kazem Borjlou from a set-piece to stun the massive Tehran crowd.
It left the Blues with a mountain to climb on the final day of the season as they trailed Zob Ahan by three points.
The situation was simple for Zob Ahan, who hadn’t lost in their last seven outings. They had to simply avoid defeat against mid-table Foolad and the title would be won.
On the other hand, Esteghlal, who had only won two of their last eight league matches, had to win at battling Payam and hope Zob slipped up to have any chance of claiming the title.
And while Esteghlal fans might have been excused for being a bit pessimistic prior to the match, they would have been enthused early on when Nader Ahmadi beat the Zob Ahan defence to score for Foolad after just six minutes. Now Esteghlal had to hold up their part of the bargain.
And late in the first-half at Payam, the Blues made the breakthrough after piling on the pressure. Brazilian star Fábio Januário put them ahead with an exquisite long-range effort that sailed into the top corner on 42 minutes.
Suddenly at half-time Esteghlal had the upper hand and Zob Ahan desperately needed a goal.
And after a tense period following the break at Foolad, Zob Ahan would get the goal they wanted. Defender Mostafa Salehinejad popped up to score on 72 minutes to start wild scenes amongst the Zob Ahan supporters.
Salehinejad was an unlikely hero with Zob Ahan’s star goalscorers Igor, Mohamad Reza Khalatbari and Esmaeil Farhadi all failing to get one past the Foolad defence.
The news would have hit Esteghlal fans hard but just when they thought it might have all been over, they had reason for joy.
News filtered through that Mostafa Salehinejad had incredibly restored Foolad’s lead. Then barely five minutes later Mohammad Ghazi Najafabadi made it 3-1 for Foolad and Zob Ahan were suddenly the ones with the mountain to climb. Esteghlal had somehow got themselves well and truly back in the box seat with only ten minutes to go in the season.
But the Tehran club had to get their job done and make sure they won, no matter what Zob Ahan did. Holding a precarious 1-0 lead against a Payam side fighting to avoid relegation, things were still very tense.
Then on 84 minutes Esteghlal won a late penalty which would surely seal their victory.
Up stepped Borhani, the star man of Esteghlal’s season with 21 goals to his name. He had the chance to erase all the tension. But he blew it, the penalty was wasted and Zob Ahan, along with Payam, lived to fight another day.
Indeed, Payam poured on the pressure as the minutes ticked down. News came through that there was another goal at Foolad, but it had not been scored by Zob Ahan but instead their opponents who had shot to a 4-1 lead and certain victory.
It was up to Esteghlal to cling onto their slender advantage, while Payam knew they’d go down if they couldn’t muster up an equaliser.
The stakes couldn't be higher and Payam’s prolific striker Shpejtim Arifi tried to come up with something.
But it didn’t happen and when the final whistle blew, Esteghlal and their blue-clad fans celebrated their first league title in three years.
Blues manager Amir Ghalenoei, who had been in charge of the title winning Esteghlal side in 2006, was overjoyed, and slightly relieved, by the victory. But he also wanted to pay tribute to Foolad.
Ghalenoei said, “I would like to dedicate this victory to Foolad coach Majid Jalali and the people of Khuzestan province, who gave us a lesson in ethics and fair play.”
Foolad’s favour had been Esteghlal’s fortune, but it had also been Zob Ahan’s failure and a difficult one to swallow for the team from Isfahan. After such a long and brilliant campaign Zob Ahan had fallen at the final hurdle, while Esteghlal had pounced.
Unlike Hollywood, not everyone ended up happy. Someone had to be on the wrong end of all the drama. There had to be a winner and a loser because that is football.
It could be argued it was rough justice on Zob Ahan, but there is no doubt it made for thrilling drama.
Related Articles:
