Esteghlal Khuzestan F.C.

Esteghlal Khuzestan
استقلال خوزستان
Full name Esteghlal Meli-Sanati Khuzestan Football Club
Founded 2008, as Esteghlal Jonub Tehran (2011)
Ground Ghadir Stadium
Ahvaz, Iran
Capacity 50,000
Owner Fazel Bakhtiari
Chairman Ali Poorkiani
Manager Abdollah Veisi
League Iran Pro League
2013–14 Iran Pro League, 12th

Esteghlal Meli-Sanati Khuzestan Football Club, commonly known as Esteghlal Khuzestan, is an Iranian football club based in Ahvaz, Iran. They currently compete in the Persian Gulf Pro League after awarded for promotion to upcoming season by IRIFF after Shahrdari Tabriz's relegation due to match-fixing. This football club is different from Esteghlal Ahvaz.[1] In 2011 they bought Esteghlal Jonub's licence to compete in the Azadegan League.

History

Azadegan League years (2011–2013)

After an average 6th place finish in the teams inaugural year in the Azadegan League, 2012–13 season turned out to be a different year, with a 2nd placed finish the club was promoted to the Iran Pro League for the first time in their history.

Promotion to Iran Pro League (2013–present)

In Esteghlal Khuzestan's first year in the top flight they finished 12th, escaping relegation play-off by better goal difference. In the Hazfi Cup Esteghlal Khuzestan exited the competition in the Round of 32 after a shock defeat to Azadegan League side Alvand Hamedan.

Season-by-season

The table below shows the achievements of the club in various competitions.

Season League Position Hazfi Cup Notes
2011–12 Azadegan League 6th 1/16 Final
2012–13 Azadegan League 2nd 1/16 Final Promoted
2013–14 Iran Pro League 12th 1/16 Final

Players

As of December 23, 2014.[2]

First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Iran GK Parviz Karimi
2 Iran DF Mohammad Tayyebi
3 Iran DF Majid Heidari
4 Iran DF Mohammad Ebrahim Khosravi
5 Mali MF Moussa Coulibaly
6 Iran MF Meysam Doraghi
7 Iran MF Hadi Khanifar
8 Iran MF Reza Kardoust
9 Mali FW Lamine Diawara
10 Iran FW Mehdi Momeni
11 Iran MF Mohammad Reza Mahdavi
12 Iran DF Milad Rabbani U23
14 Iran MF Hamed Mohammadi U23
16 Mali GK Soumbeïla Diakité
17 Iran FW Rouhollah Seifollahi
19 Iran MF Yazdan Abbasian U23
No. Position Player
20 Iran MF Meysam Majidi
21 Iran MF Meysam Baou
22 Iran GK Vahid Mashilashi U21
24 Iran FW Hojjat Chaharmahali
25 Iran DF Farzad Jafari U23
26 Iran MF Ali Daghagheleh U21
27 Iran MF Hamdollah Ebdam U23
28 Iran DF Bagher Hashemi U21
29 Iran FW Ali Ebrahimpour U21
31 Iran DF Elyas Vashahi U21
32 Iran MF Mohammad Ali Safia U21
33 Iran GK Ali Akbar Ahaki U23
34 Iran MF Iman Basafa U23 (on loan from Esteghlal)
88 Iran DF Mohsen Bayat
99 Iran FW Mehdi Seyed Salehi

Out on loan

Takhti stadium Is the home ground of Esteghlal Khuzestan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
Iran DF Ramtin Soleimanzadeh (at Fajr Sepasi until 30 June 2015)

For recent transfers, see List of Iranian football transfers winter 2014–15.

Coaches

Former Coaches

Period Name G W D L GF GA GD Note
2011–2013 Iran Majid Bagherinia 52 22 15 15 52 41 +11 Promoted to PGL
2013–present Iran Abdollah Veisi 52 11 22 19 58 66 -8

Coaching Staff

Staff[3] Name
Head coach Iran Abdollah Veisi
Assistant coach Iran Houshang Lobnian
Assistant coach Iran Seyed Akbar Pourmousavi
Coach Iran Ali Akbar Mehdipour
International manager Iran Behdad Bayat
Doctor Iran Jalal Heydari
Physiotherapist Iran Sadegh Norouzi
Analyzer Iran Habib Eslami
Team Manager Iran Bahman Roshnaei

See also

References

  1. ↑ اهواز صاحب دومین استقلال شد/ امتیاز استقلال جنوب به اهواز انتقال یافت (in Persian). Goal.com. 2011-07-31. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  2. ↑ "استقلال خوزستان". Ffiri.ir. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  3. ↑ http://www.khabaronline.ir/detail/366537/sport/premiere-league