TEHRAN (Tasnim) � Persepolis football team could not return to top of the Iran Professional League (IPL) after a goalless draw against arch rival Esteghlal on Friday.





Persepolis could return to top of the table with a win in Tehran�s Azadi Stadium but failed to find back of the net.

Esteghlal also has yet to win a single match after six weeks and remained 14th.

Ukraine�s striker Volodymyr Pryyomov opened Esteghlal�s goal in the injury time but disallowed by referee Alireza Faghani due to offside.

�I am sorry because we didn�t win the match but you must consider that Esteghlal is one the best football teams in the league and has quality players. Without a doubt, they will move up in the upcoming weeks,� Persepolis coach Branko Ivankovic said in the post match press conference.



Esteghlal leads the head to head results in competitive matches with 24 wins to Persepolis's 20, and 39 matches ended in a draw.

Tehran derby is a football match between the two prominent Tehran clubs Esteghlal (Blues) and Persepolis (Reds).

World Soccer magazine in June 2008 declared this match as the most important derby in Asia and 22nd most important derby in the world.

By Tasnim News Agency