Foolad will hope to utilise their home advantage to help bridge the gap to today’s opponents. The home side are currently 5 points behind Esteghlal.
Esteghlal have a very long trip to this away game, as there's more than 800 kilometers in distance to cover. This could prove a challenge, at least for the supporters.
Foolad form and stats
Foolad have played 7 Persian Gulf Pro League games at their own stadium so far this season, resulting in 3-2-2 (wins-draws-losses). Hopes of three in a row are alive for Foolad after consecutive victories at their own ground.
Foolad drew their last game, 2-2 away at Sanat Naft (placed 4th). Prior to that was the away defeat visiting Tractor Sazi (0-1).
Foolad aren't scoring a lot here at Ghadir Stadium in the league, with only 4 goals from 7 games. Defensively Foolad have been outstanding, conceding less than half a goal on average per home game in the league (2 in 7 games). For more goal stats, check the Statistics tab above.
Esteghlal form and stats
The visitors, who have the most scored goals (33) in Persian Gulf Pro League, are W3-D4-L1 on the road this term. That's in the Persian Gulf Pro League. Esteghlal are enjoying a nice run from their away games now, having played seven in a row without losing.
The manager was unhappy after their last game, a Persian Gulf Pro League match played at their home ground Azadi Stadium. Esteghlal suffered a 1-2 loss to Machine Sazi (placed 9th). Prior to that match, a home win 4-1 against Shahin Bushehr.
The Esteghlal manager has got the team scoring on the road, with 17 away goals in 8 league matches. 11 goals have been conceded by Esteghlal in these games.
Head 2 Head
These teams' last encounter with each other was the Esteghlal - Foolad 1-1 earlier this season. Head-to-head totals (for the last ten meetings): Foolad won 1 game, 4 matches ended with a draw and Esteghlal has 5 wins. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: 4 / 6Top Goalscorers
  C. Diabaté 8 goals |  M. Ghaedi 8 goals |   A. Vali 4 goals |
Foolad missing players
Esteghlal missing players
| Foolad | Esteghlal | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 16 | 7 | 3 | Played | P | 3 | 8 | 16 |
| 6 | 3 | 0 | Won | W | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| 6 | 2 | 1 | Drew | D | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 4 | 2 | 2 | Lost | L | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 12 | 4 | 0 | Scored | S | 3 | 17 | 33 |
| 9 | 2 | 2 | Conceded | C | 3 | 11 | 17 |
| 75% | 71% | 67% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 25% | 14% | 0% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 67% | 88% | 81% |
| 12% | 0% | 0% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 33% | 75% | 62% |
| 12% | 0% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 62% | 44% |
| 6% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 12% | 19% |
| 19% | 0% | 0% | BTTS | BTTS | 67% | 75% | 62% |
| 56% | 71% | 33% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 12% | 25% |
| 50% | 57% | 100% | Failed to Score | F T | 33% | 12% | 12% |
| 3.4 | 3.6 | 2.7 | Corners For (avg) | C F | 3.3 | 4.5 | 5.7 |
| 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.7 | Corners Against (avg) | C A | 1.3 | 4.9 | 4 |
| 2 | 2.3 | 1.7 | Yellow Cards (avg) | Y C | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Red Cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 89 | 31 | 2 | Total Shots | T S | 30 | 85 | 174 |
| 34 | 12 | 2 | Shots on Target | S O | 12 | 41 | 76 |
| 26% | 33% | 0% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 25% | 41% | 41% |
- Esteghlal has the most dropped points from leading position (13)
- Esteghlal has the most matches over the total-line (10)
- Esteghlal has the most scored goals (17) away
- Esteghlal has the most scored goals (33)
- Esteghlal has the most scored goals in the first half (14)
- Esteghlal has the most scored goals in the second half (19)
- Esteghlal have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
- Esteghlal have scored more than double the goals of Foolad.
- Esteghlal have won significantly less corners away then at home.
- Esteghlal haven’t played a single 0-0 game.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Persepolis | 16 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 34 |
| 2 | Sepahan | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 27 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 31 |
| 3 | Tractor Sazi | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 30 |
| 4 | Sanat Naft | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 30 |
| 5 | Esteghlal | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 33 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 29 |
| 6 | Padideh Khorasan | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 28 |
| 7 | Foolad | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
| 8 | Naft Masjed Soleyman | 16 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 23 |
| 9 | Machine Sazi | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 11 | -1 | 22 |
| 10 | Nassaji Mazandaran | 16 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 11 | -6 | 16 |
| 11 | Zob Ahan | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 15 |
| 12 | Pars Jam Bushehr | 16 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 8 | -4 | 14 |
| 13 | Saipa | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 10 | -8 | 14 |
| 14 | Paykan | 16 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 29 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 16 | -6 | 13 |
| 15 | Gol Gohar | 16 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 10 | -9 | 10 |
| 16 | Shahin Bushehr | 16 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 20 | -25 | 6 |