Persepolis has one hand on the cup

The first leg of the cup final between two traditional powerhouses, Persepolis and Malavan was a cracker of a game and saw plenty of goals and action that lived up to its cup-final billing. Malavan, the guest team came out of the locker room already running and raring to go and took the game to Persepolis. In fact they were clearly the better team in the first half while the stadium was packed with over 65,000 red fans. Oladi, Nozhati and Nouri were in spectacular form and were ably supported by the silky skills of the young Mosalman. They were paid in gold for their gutsy attacking football in scoring the first goal. But having a man sent off late in the half must have thrown the wrench in Poorgholami, Malavan’s coach’s strategy. However, they were given a respite as a former Malavan star, Mazyar Zareh scoffed the penalty and the home team, under tremendous pressure, went into the rest period a goal behind.

The start of the second half provided a vindication Persepolis efforts and they equalized with only 2 minutes into the half. Then Mohamad Nouri’s deft control and shot saw the now 70,000+ fans in the stadium erupt and literally brought the house down with the best goal of the match in my opinion. But that wasn’t the end of the action as Malavan stepped up their game and eventually equalized through a well placed header by the ever impressive Nozhati … not exactly the tallest player on the pitch, by the way.

A man up, and needing at least a couple of extra goals to take to the very difficult away game to Anzali and I was surprised at how Ali Daei stuck to his 4-2-3-1 formation, no matter what. Although Nowroozi and later, Mohamad Nouri’s penalty saved Daei’s blushes, at the time when Malavan saw a second man get the dreaded red card (and deservedly so too). So the first leg ends with a 4-2 score-line and a 9-man Malavan team and promise of more action in Anzali. I was highly impressed with Pejman Nouri and especially Oladi who were a constant thorn in the side of the reds and never allowed their defense line to breath easy. Even when Malavan was a man short.

But at this juncture, I really wonder just what it takes to force Daei to change his system and formation from the lone forward line up. He has shown to be quite adamant about this formation no matter if his team is up or behind, no matter in a home game or an away one, no matter if he is a man down or two men up! This reminds me of one of the most frustrating Team Melli games in recent years when we played the Saudis at Azadi stadium and he stuck to the lone forward formula even after we conceded the equalizer after Shoajei’s goal. And true to form, we still played with a single forward even when we went a goal behind!

Aside from my vehement opposition to the 4-2-3-1 system that I believe does not suit our football and football players, I must question Mr. Daei about the need for variation and flexibility in tactics and formation that is warranted when facing a variety of occasions, circumstances and needs for a game of football. I mean ‘one solution for all problems’ is hardly supportable. Perhaps Daei needs to work on his flexibility as he matures as a great coach.