Mosimane’s Esteghlal FC loses as Iran league second half starts
Coach Pitso Mosimane and his Esteghlal FC began the second half of the Gulf Pro League on a losing note, suffering a 1-0 defeat to Shams Azar Qazvin.
The match was played at Esteghlal FC’s home, the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran on Monday afternoon.
Esteghlal FC came into this match knowing a win would be vital in helping them leap from 10th place and solidify their rise in the league.
Moreso, they bubbled with confidence in preparation of facing Shams Azar Qazvin, who occupied 15th place ahead of this fixture.
As such, they started the match in high tempo, as they were fresh from a two-week break.
The Famous Royal Blues made some promising forays in the opening 15 minutes but all were easily thrwarted. And there was nothing to separate the two sides at half-time.
Shams Azar Qazvin then broke the deadlock on the 64th minute via a Cheshme Khosravi strike. That was all they needed to secure maximum points.
COACH MOSIMANE’S ESTEGHLAL FC DROPS TO 11TH POSITION IN THE GULF PRO LEAGUE
Esteghlal FC remain with 18 points after 16 matches and are 14 points behind leaders, Tractor FC. The defeat saw them drop to 11th place on the league standings.
Prior to this match, they had been in decent form as Mosimane instilled confidence in the players.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach guided the team to a nine-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
This is despite a difficult start to the 2024/25 Gulf Pro League season where they managed four wins in the first half of the season.
In the 15 matches played in first half of the season, they accounted for six draws and lost five times. They have now lost six times.
Crucially, Mosimane has been holding on at the club, helping them turning their fortunes amid the ongoing financial crisis.
Mosimane and his technical team has been working despite unpaid wages, something that has threatened to overshadow his good efforts.
Simply put, the club ought to solve the crisis to ensure the veteran coach and his team remains focused to produce desired results.
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