TEHRAN - Iran Professional League (IPL) title race has been wide open in recent weeks, with three top teams eagerly in the hunt for glory.

With 11 games remaining, Persepolis, Sepahan, and Esteghlal have formed a tight title race at the top of the table of the 2020/21 Iran Professional League season.

Persepolis lost two points on Saturday as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Shahr Khodro in Mashhad. The draw left Persepolis sitting on shaky ground at the top of the table with just one point ahead of Sepahan and one more game than the Isfahan-based team. Sephahn will visit Saipa in Tehran on Monday and can lead the league with two points more than the Reds in case of winning the game.

Esteghlal had a great chance to pile the pressure on Persepolis and Sepahan as they hosted Paykan in Tehran. However, things did not go to plan for Farhad Majidi’s side as they dropped two points to keep their four points distance from their archrivals Persepolis.

The table of the highest division of professional football in Iran, for now at least, appears closer than ever and surely there will be much more tension injected into a title race of a league that has been dominated by Persepolis for the last four years.

Sepahan with Moharam Navidkia, as their head coach, have been a fighting team so far with a lot of motivation to win the title. It is likely that Sepahan will keep up their current pace as they have shown the kind of consistency in their results that up to this point has elevated them to the top.

Esteghlal also after the changes on their bench, have had a good run in terms of results and their performance’s rise has perhaps been overlooked. Their focus is to progress and to bring the title for their fans.

Persepolis’ inconsistent start of the season saw them drop points to teams like Saipa, Nasaji and Naft Masjed Soleyman. But Yahya Golmohammadi’s side were recovered and came again to the top with consecutive wins. They are the main favorites to win the IPL league for a record-breaker fifth time in row.

Iran Professional League is alive, and the exciting race among the contenders of the title makes it more attractive in the weeks towards the end of the league. Persepolis, Sepahan, and Esteghlal are expected to keep on title race until the end of the season.