Sports > Football > SAIPA FC WIN PRO LEAGUE IN IRAN BY AFSHIN DASTAFSHAN
Congratulations Saipa
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Saipa FC of Karaj led by player coach Ali Daei have won the sixth season of professional football league in Iran, Saipa will represent Iran in the Asian Champions League next season. The league went into a nail biting finish with four teams in with the chance of lifting the trophy on its last day. The top four teams in the table Saipa of Karaj, Esteghlal of Ahvaz, Persepolis and Esteghlal of Tehran all had a mathematical chance of winning the league pending results in other matches; Saipa were the only team with their faith in their own hands though; a win in their last match on May 28th would secure Saipa the league title regardless of results elsewhere.
Saipa held their nerves in the latter part of the season with three wins and a draw in the last four matches which proved enough to secure the league championship. At midseason (after 15 matches) Saipa had a comfortable 8 point lead at the top of Persian Gulf League table (formerly Iran Pro League) and were expected to wrap things up with a few games in hand, but a string of poor results in the second part of the season enabled Esteghlal of Tehran to catch up with Saipa and move to the top of the table. The scene was set for what turned out to be the league decider between Esteghlal and Saipa in the season’s penultimate match (week 29) on May 20th. Having conceded a first half goal in the match Saipa struck twice in 3 minutes in the second half to beat Esteghlal and secure their lead in the table with one match remaining. Saipa beat Mes of Kerman 2-0 in their last match of the season to win the championship on 56 points and 2 points clear of the runners-up Esteghlal of Ahvaz, the Khuzestani side will be disappointed with their second place finish in what was a great season for them.
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Persepolis FC unbeaten in their last ten league matches made a late run with 6 wins and 4 draws to get back in contention, however Persepolis inconsistency in midseason which saw the Tehran giants losing four and drawing two in eight matches proved too costly in the end, having dropped to ninth place at one point Persepolis finished the season in third place on 53 points and 3 points behind Saipa, Persepolis would have finished above Saipa on goal difference had Saipa lost their last match on May 28th, and that is how close the league table was this season. Persepolis will nevertheless be pleased to have finished above their archrivals Esteghlal of Tehran, Esteghlal had a poor run in the latter part of the season and relinquished their lead in the table by losing three and drawing two of the their last five matches, Esteghlal finished fourth on 52 points.
Congratulations to Saipa FC of Karaj (35 Kilometers west of Tehran) on their first professional league title. Saipa won the late Azadegan amateur league in seasons 93/94 and again in 94/95.
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