PFDC - ESFAHAN, Sepahan Esfahan undermined their superiority in Iranian club football by securing the 2011/12 Iranian Pro League (IPL) championship.


It is the third consecutive IPL title for Sepahan, who also impress on international level regularly.

A goalless draw against bottom placed Mes Sarcheshmeh at home was enough to secure the top spot for Zlatko Kranjcar's team, one point and two goals ahead of former Sepahan and Esteghlal coach Amir Ghalenoei's Tractor Sazi Tabriz.

Tractor's 2-0 win over Malavan Anzali secured their vice-championship, with just a single goal seperating them from third placed Esteghlal Tehran in the end, who defeated Naft Tehran 3-0 thanks to an Arash Borhani brace and a Goran Jerkovic goal.

This, however, would be a meaningless achievement, should the IFF like last season grant the second automatic Asian Champions League spot to the Iranian Cup winners - Esteghlal - and not to the vice champions.

Fifth placed Naft Tehran's loss allowed Saba Qom to clinch the fourth spot in the table after their goalless draw against Fajr Sepasi Shiraz, which was more than enough to put the club in Champions League qualification next season.

Persepolis Tehran ended their disappointing season on a high. Mustafa Denizli's men's second half comeback against Foolad Khuzestan, thanks to goals from veteran substitutes Ali Karimi and Vahid Hashemian, secured a 2-1 victory and lifted them to the 12th position of the table.

Already before the final round it was inevitable that Shahrdari Tabriz, Shahin Bushehr and Mes Sarcheshmeh will be relegated to Azadegan League.












Top