News / Sports

Persepolis beat Esteghlal to win 80th Tehran Derby

Friday, 15 May 2015 3:47 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 15 May 2015 7:10 PM ]

Iranian soccer team Persepolis faces their arch-rival Esteghlal in Tehran Derby at Azadi Stadium on May 15, 2015. (© IRNA)

Persepolis, a popular Iranian soccer team, have managed to beat their arch-rival Esteghlal in the 80th cross-town derby of Tehran as the two soccer giants in the country ended their pro-league season on lower-than-expected rankings.

Ali Alipour’s 65th-minute goal was enough to seal Persepolis’ victory against Esteghlal at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on Friday.

The Reds mostly went on the defensive late in the match, with Esteghlal’s players ferociously fighting to level the score-line. However, Turaj Haqverdi’s final whistle left the Blues empty-handed in front of more than 50,000 spectators attending the game.

This was the 20th victory for the Reds in the history of the most high-profile soccer game in Iran. The match, known as the Tehran Derby, has seen the two prominent teams draw 36 times over the past 47 years.

The 2014-2015 Persian Gulf pro league is to finish later in the day, with Traktorsazi from Tabriz and Naft of Tehran heading to a difficult race to claim the title. Before the derby, Esteghlal and Persepolis sat 6th and 9th in the table.

MS/MKA/HJL

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk