Pitso Mosimane‘s Esteghlal FC drew 1-1 with league leaders Sepahan FC, extending their unbeaten run to nine games but remaining winless in four.
The match, Esteghlal’s first of 2025, saw Masoud Juma score his first Persian Gulf Pro League goal for the club in the 22nd minute, giving Esteghlal a 1-0 lead at halftime.
The then table toppers equalized in the 80th minute through Mehdi Limouchi, despite being reduced to 10 men late in the game after Seyed Mohammad Karimi received a second yellow card.
This draw leaves Esteghlal 10th in the league with 18 points from 15 games, while Sepahan drops to second place (on goal difference with Tractor). Despite the unbeaten streak, Esteghlal’s winless run continues, including a draw against Chadormalu in their final match of 2024 and draws against Gol Gohar and Aluminum Arak. Their last victory came three weeks prior in the Hazfi Cup against MES Kerman.
Since Mosimane’s arrival, Esteghlal has recorded five wins, four draws, and five losses, a marked improvement from their single win prior to his appointment. While Mosimane has tightened the defense, conceding only twice in the last five matches compared to 14 goals conceded before his arrival, goal scoring remains a concern, with only three goals scored in the last six games.