Tehran Times - Persepolis football team defeated Saipa 1-0 here to stay top of Iran Professional League (IPL) table.

Mehdi Taremi was on target for the Reds in the 47th minute with an acrobatic kick.

Persepolis was reduced to 10 men in the 55th minute after referee Hossein Zahedifar showed a straight red card to Farshad Ahmadzadeh due to preventing Saipa striker from a real goal scoring opportunity.

Shortly after, Saipa put 10-man Persepolis under pressure but failed to score.

Persepolis moved top of IPL table with 35 points, two points ahead of Tractor Sazi.

“I want to congratulate my players for the great game they played since we were playing a man down for more than half an hour. Our main goal is winning the title at the end of the season,” Branko Ivankovic said in the post-match news conference.

Earlier in the day, Zob Ahan edged past Siahjamegan thanks to Yaser Feyzi’s 67th minute goal.

Machine Sazi and Foolad played out a goalless draw in Tabriz and Padidieh drew 1-1 with Sepahan in Mashhad.

On Thursday, Esteghlal defeated Naft Tehran 1-0, Paykan and Gostaresh finished 1-1 and Tractor Sazi beat holder Esteghlal Khuzestan 1-0 in Ahvaz.

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