TEHRAN – Malavan’s Mohammad Gholami grabbed a stoppage-time equalizer to cancel out a first-half hat-trick by Esteqlal striker Gholamreza Enayati in a rescheduled match in Azadi Stadium Tuesday.

The home team Esteqlal had a dream start as Enayati’s header in the second minute found the unguarded net.

He celebrated the second five minutes later when his header went in.

Malavan, however, fought back to level the match with two goals from scorer Mohammad Gholamin, who converted a penalty kick on 17 minutes and side-footed in from close range five minutes from halftime.

Enayati, who was in dazzling form, dived to head home a curling set-piece from playmaker Mojtaba Jabbari in the 41st minute.

Esteqlal played a cagey football after the restart, but Enayati came close to the fourth in the dying moments as his drive hit the post.

The high-flight Esteqlal was denied the victory three minutes deep into additional time when Mohammad Gholami scored the equalizer with a bicycle-kick.

Esteqlal remains in the second spot of the fifth Iran Pro League with 37 points out of 20 games, two shy of pacesetter Saipa’s asset.