News / Sports

Iran’s Esteghlal goalkeeper out for month with thigh injury

Thursday, 24 December 2015 1:45 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 24 December 2015 1:44 PM ]

Esteghlal goalkeeper Seyyed Mehdi Rahmati shouts during the Hazfi Cup semi-final match against Tractor Sazi Tabriz football club at Yadegar-e Emam Stadium in Tabriz, Iran, on December 22, 2015. (© Tasnim news agency)

Iranian football goalkeeper Seyyed Mehdi Rahmati has been sidelined for one month after suffering a thigh injury during a semi-final fixture in the country’s soccer knockout cup competition, which is known as Hazfi Cup (Elimination Cup).

The 32-year-old, who currently plays for Esteghlal in the Persian Gulf Pro League, also known as Iran Pro League (IPL), sustained the injury on Tuesday as the Blues played against Tractor Sazi Tabriz football club at Yadegar-e Emam Stadium in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz.

Sajjad Shahbazzadeh was on target twice and put the ball at the back of Tractor Sazi Tabriz’s net once in the 29th minute and another in the 59th minute to seal Tehran giants’ 2-1 victory over Tractor Sazi.

Brazilian footballer Augusto César dos Santos Moreira, commonly known as Augusto, scored the sole goal for the hosts in the 49th minute.

Rahmati, who previously played for Iran men’s national soccer team before retirement in January 2013, underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on Wednesday, and doctors detected a tear of the rectus femoris muscle in his right thigh.

Rahmati will now miss Esteghlal’s clash with Zob Ahan football club in the final showdown of the Hazfi Cup.

Ahvaz-based Esteghlal Khuzestan football club is currently on top of the Persian Gulf Pro League table with 32 points, and is followed by Esteghlal with 30 points. Zob Ahan is in the third place with 26 points.

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