Getting closer to the top teams is at stake when these two mid-table clubs battle it out. Both will be aiming to improve their league table standing, Foolad in 6th and Machine Sazi in 9th place.
This should be an interesting game with lots of spark and energy as both teams are well rested since they last saw competitive action. Game on!
Everyone involved with the away team has to get their travel gear ready for this match as there's a whopping 1100 kilometers to cover before arriving at the match.
Foolad form and stats
5-2-2 (win-draw-lost) are the Persian Gulf Pro League numbers at home for Foolad so far this season. Foolad has won so many consecutive home games (four in a row) that they struggle to remember the last time points were lost here at Shohadaye Artesh Stadium. We remember; it was Persepolis.
Foolad's previous game was a Persian Gulf Pro League match also played at home, ending 1-0 versus Shahin Bushehr (placed 15th). The home side are looking to build on that result. A strong away win before that one, visiting Paykan and winning 2-1.
The goals haven't exactly been flowing for Foolad here at Shohadaye Artesh Stadium in the league, with less than one goal per game on average (7 from 9 games). Defensively Foolad have been outstanding, conceding less than half a goal on average per home game in the league (2 in 9 games). For more goal stats, check the Statistics tab above.
Machine Sazi form and stats
The hunting on away grounds haven’t been very fruitful for Machine Sazi so far with only 6 points returning home. The records show 1-3-6 (win-draw-lose). Three consecutive losses in away matches means Machine Sazi are growing more and more desperate for a good performance on the road.
Machine Sazi might have something to prove in this game as they lost at home in their previous match. Nassaji Mazandaran proved too strong as Machine Sazi slumped to a 0-3 defeat in front of their own fans at Bonyan Diesel Stadium. It was a defeat before that one as the away game against Shahin Bushehr wasn't a success with a 1-3 loss.
Many goals are not expected from the visiting Machine Sazi as they have only managed to score 7 times from 10 away games in the league. Machine Sazi have conceded 17 goals in these games.
Head 2 Head
These teams' last encounter with each other was the Machine Sazi - Foolad 2-3 earlier this season. Head-2-head stats last seven meetings: three - two - two (Foolad wins - draws - Machine Sazi wins). As for goals, three matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), four had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  A. Vali 4 goals |  L. Pereira Mendes 4 goals | H. Beyt Saeed 3 goals |
Foolad missing players
Machine Sazi missing players
| Foolad | Machine Sazi | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 20 | 9 | 2 | Played | P | 2 | 10 | 21 |
| 9 | 5 | 1 | Won | W | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 6 | 2 | 0 | Drew | D | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | Lost | L | 1 | 6 | 9 |
| 18 | 7 | 1 | Scored | S | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| 12 | 2 | 1 | Conceded | C | 1 | 17 | 29 |
| 80% | 78% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 50% | 80% | 81% |
| 35% | 22% | 0% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 0% | 50% | 52% |
| 20% | 0% | 0% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 40% | 43% |
| 10% | 0% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 30% | 29% |
| 5% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 10% | 14% |
| 25% | 0% | 0% | BTTS | BTTS | 0% | 50% | 43% |
| 55% | 78% | 50% | Clean Sheets | C S | 50% | 20% | 33% |
| 40% | 44% | 50% | Failed to Score | F T | 100% | 50% | 43% |
| 3.7 | 4 | 1 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 3.5 | 3.2 | 2.8 |
| 3.2 | 3.1 | 1.5 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 7.5 | 6.1 | 4.9 |
| 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.5 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 3 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 110 | 41 | 8 | Total Shots | T S | 5 | 85 | 177 |
| 44 | 17 | 2 | Shots on Target | S O | 1 | 35 | 72 |
| 30% | 29% | 50% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 0% | 20% | 26% |
- Foolad has the fewest conceded goals (2) at home
- Foolad have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded at home.
- Machine Sazi have conceded at least twice as many goals as they have scored away.
| 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 | 20 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 18 | 44 |
| 2 | Sepahan | 20 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 30 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 18 | 37 |
| 3 | Tractor Sazi | 20 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 25 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 37 |
| 4 | Esteghlal | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 39 | 22 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 14 | 17 | 36 |
| 5 | Padideh Khorasan | 21 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 16 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 35 |
| 6 | Foolad | 20 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 33 |
| 7 | Sanat Naft | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 20 | 22 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 10 | -2 | 30 |
| 8 | Naft Masjed Soleyman | 20 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 27 |
| 9 | Machine Sazi | 21 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 17 | -8 | 24 |
| 10 | Nassaji Mazandaran | 21 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 27 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 13 | -5 | 23 |
| 11 | Zob Ahan | 21 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 24 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 14 | -6 | 22 |
| 12 | Gol Gohar | 21 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 19 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 12 | -7 | 19 |
| 13 | Saipa | 20 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 27 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 15 | -8 | 19 |
| 14 | Pars Jam Bushehr | 20 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 10 | -5 | 17 |
| 15 | Shahin Bushehr | 21 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 37 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 22 | -21 | 16 |
| 16 | Paykan | 20 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 27 | 37 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 19 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 18 | -10 | 14 |