TEHRAN – Sepahan and Esteghlal football teams defeated their rivals on Matchweek 1 of 2023/24 Iran’s Persian Gulf Premier League (PGPL) on Thursday.

Star-studded Sepahan defeated Tractor 3-1 in Isfahan’s Naghsh-e Jahan Stadium.

Shahriar Moghanlou opened the scoring for Sepahan just 11 minutes into the match and Reza Asadi scored the second goal in the 25th minute.

Reza Shekari scored the third goal just after the hour mark.

Saeid Karim Azar scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute.

In Abadan, Esteghlal beat Sanat Naft 3-0 to move top of the table thanks to the goal difference.

Arash Rezavand scored in the 30th minute for the visiting team and Arsalan Motahari made it 2-0 two minutes into the second half. Saleh Hardani also was on target in the 58th minute.

Havadar and Mes Rafsanjan played out a goalless draw in Tehran.

On Wednesday, Persepolis had edged past Aluminum 1-0 in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.

Gol Gohar also defeated Foolad 3-0 in Sirjan, Nassaji drew 1-1 with Paykan in Ghaemshahr, Malavan lost to Zob Ahan 2-1 in Anzali and Esteghlal Khuzestan and Shams Azar shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in Ahvaz.