Sepahan wins League Cup on penalties

MNA – Sepahan won Iran’s League Cup 5-3 in thrilling shootouts as the home side and Persepolis tied 1-1 in the 120-minute second-leg final in Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium in Isfahan Friday.

The two teams’ first leg ended in a 1-1 stalemate in Tehran.

Sepahan will be the second team that represents Iran in the Asian Champions League.

The capital’s Esteqlal that lifted the fifth Iran Pro League trophy has already qualified for the Asian meet.

Under Turkish manager Mustafa Denizli, Persepolis outplayed the yellow-shirted Sepahan and should have taken the lead after 55 minutes when the frolic but careless striker Mehrzad Ma’danchi unbelievably did not score in a one-on-one challenge with keeper Armenak Petrossian.

The Reds, however, celebrated the opener seconds later as the advancing defender Shayth Rezaii spotted midfielder Ebrahim Assadi, whose neat drive in the crowded box found the right corner of the net.

Sepahan was transformed thereafter and changed its defensive tactics to attack-minded football, grabbing the equalizer on 64 minutes.

Striker Hamid Shafiei, who helped the IPL- and League Cup-winning Sepahan hold Persepolis to a 1-1 draw in Tehran, reveled in the visitor’s porous defense, beating the helpless goalie Farshid Karimi with a left kick from close range.

Substitute Moharram Navidkia unleashed a powerful 35-yard free-kick three minutes later, forcing a dive from Karimi.

Iraqi forward Emad Reza almost put Sepahan ahead four minutes from normal time when his header was blocked by Karimi’s stretching leg in the goalmouth.

Spot-kicks were deciding as the finalists failed to find the finishing touch in the extra-time.

Sepahan had a disastrous start, with skipper Jalal Akbari seeing his kick be palmed away by Karimi and Persepolis captain Karim Baqeri converting.

But the Reds lost ground after missing two of the next three shootouts and Sepahan converted all four.

Rezaii and his teammate Alireza Nikbakht-Vahedi spoiled the visitor’s second and third chances.