Title: Esteghlal’s Resurgence: Back-to-Back Victories Rekindle Title Ambitions
After a turbulent start to the season, Tehran’s Esteghlal football club appears to have turned a corner, with two consecutive victories reigniting hope among its passionate fanbase and breaking a long-standing curse for its Portuguese manager.
A Season of Early Struggles
The new season began with a promising, vindicating victory over Tractorsazi. However, that initial optimism quickly faded as the Blue Giants entered a prolonged slump. Over seven consecutive domestic and Asian fixtures, the team failed to secure a single win, registering three disappointing losses and four draws. This poor run of form, including heavy defeats to Al-Wasl and unexpected losses to Esteghlal Khuzestan and Al-Muharraq, led to visible frustration in the stands, with sections of the crowd voicing their discontent.
A Dramatic Turnaround
Despite the mounting pressure, the club’s management maintained their confidence in Head Coach Ricardo Sá Pinto. That faith now seems to be paying dividends. Last week, a brilliant performance by Jasir Asani powered Esteghlal to a victory over Mes Rafsanjan. This was swiftly followed by another win in the AFC Champions League 2 against Jordan’s Al-Wehdat. Albanian star Asani was again instrumental, while the impactful performance of new signing Munir El Haddadi, who both scored and assisted, demonstrated the value of the club’s strategic summer acquisitions.
Breaking the Streaks
These crucial wins have shattered two significant negative sequences for the club. Most importantly, they mark Esteghlal’s first back-to-back victories in approximately eight months—a 242-day wait finally over. Notably, both wins were also secured with clean sheets, underscoring a newfound defensive solidity.
For Coach Sá Pinto, this moment is particularly sweet. The consecutive victories end a personal 549-day drought, a period that spanned his previous tenures with other clubs where he was unable to string two wins together. The last time he achieved this was during his time with Apoel Nicosia in Cyprus.
A Renewed Sense of Purpose
The recent successes have dramatically shifted the atmosphere surrounding the team. The early-season doubts have been replaced by a renewed belief that Sá Pinto and his squad can deliver on their pre-season promises. As the campaign progresses, the focus is now firmly on maintaining this positive momentum to challenge for the Iran Pro League title and achieve success on the continental stage in the AFC Champions League 2.