Editorial: 200 000 in Azadi Stadium vs Ehsan Hajsafi

Many things could be said about this year's league in Iran, many bad things could be said about this years league in Iran, but just some good things could be said too, one of them the huge 200 000 capacity crowd that will have visited the Azadi Stadium in just the last two crucial rounds and another the new phenomenom in Iranian football, Ehsan Hajsafi.

A lot of bad things have happened in Iranian football in the last year or so. Millions of fans have been the biggest losers while those who should care just don’t!

Sepahan was close to do miracles in Asia last year and could have done so this year, but what happened? Sepahan was handed point reduction in the league and played far away from its own stadium in the Asian Champions League.

Perspolis started out the year as champions under new head coach Ghotbi, but what happened? Perspolis was handed a big point reduction in the league and then played far from how they previously had due to a zillion side issues.

In the middle of all the headache one superstar is rising above all the others, he’s the youngest out of them all and he’s probably better than them all, Ehsan Hajsafi is about to win the title for Sepahan. A mighty red 200,000 army though is about to stop him do so, as Perspolis rose from the dead to fly high against Saba on Wednesday. Their manager who promised to win the title did everything right when it mattered the most. Ghotbi played Bagheri in an attacking role, benched Vahedi until it was time for him to come on and he switched Kabi over to the right side at just the right time. Ghotbi’s men were playing their best football of the season to set up a historical clash with one of the best teams in Asia.

Although Perspolis played brilliant football against Saba they still haven’t played the football Sepahan did away to Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia. Sepahan at its best today or even yesterday (last year) is simply a better team with the better players than Perspolis is. However NavidKia and Karimi are missing and Viera’s men have to play away in front of an intimidating capacity crowd of over 100,000, can they pull it off? Just ask an 18-year old, just ask Ehsan Hajsafi…

Ps. If there were any doubts about the 3-1 goal that Khalili scored, I can only say after watching the replay in slow motion, it wasn’t any offside and I'm positive they will come to the same conclusion in 90 program!