Esteghlal Khuzestan F.C.

Full name	Esteghlal Khuzestan Football Club
Nickname(s)	Âbihai-ye Jinub (Southern Blues)
Founded	2011 (2011)
Ground	Ghadir
Capacity	38,900
Owner	Iran National Steel Industrial Group
Manager	Sirous Pourmousavi
League	Persian Gulf Pro League
2022–23	Azadegan League, 2nd (promoted)
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

Esteghlal Khuzestan Football Club (Persian: باشگاه فوتبال استقلال خوزستان, Bašgâh-e Futbâl-e Esteqlâl-e Xuzestân), commonly known as Esteghlal Khuzestan, is an Iranian football club based in Ahvaz, Iran. The club currently competes in the Azadegan League after being relegated from Persian Gulf Pro League in the 2018–19 season.

This football club is different from Esteghlal Ahvaz.^[1] In 2011 they bought Esteghlal Jonub's licence to compete in the Azadegan League. They finished 2012–13 season in 2nd place of their group and qualified to the promotion play-off. However, they were awarded the direct promotion IRIFF after group's winner, Shahrdari Tabriz's relegation due to match-fixing. They won the Persian Gulf Pro League title in 2015–16 season.

History

Promotion to the Pro League

In Esteghlal Khuzestan's first year in the top flight, it 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. Esteghlal finished the 2014–15 season 14th, meaning it would have to play in a relegation play-off against the winner of the Azadegan League promotion play-off winner. Esteghlal Khuzestan defeated Mes Kerman 3–0 on aggregate meaning it had secured a spot in the 2015–16 Persian Gulf Pro League season.

2015–16 season

Esteghlal Khuzestan players celebrating after winning league title in 2015–16 season

Before the start of the 2015–16 season Esteghlal Khuzestan signed many of Foolad Novin's players and was a major surprise, as it started well in the season. Esteghlal Khuzestan had four consecutive winning streak at the 12th week, which made Esteghlal Khuzestan finished champion of the first half of the season.^[2][3] After a great result with Abdollah Veisi, Esteghlal Khuzestan managed to keep its shape at the second half of the season. On January 1, 2016, Esteghlal Khuzestan lost to Persepolis which made the race tighter for first place, and also made Esteghlal Khuzestan fall to second place, Esteghlal became first after 17th week. The head coach Abdollah Veisi later said that their main goal was to take place at AFC Champions League.^[4] Esteghlal Khuzestan qualified to the AFC Champions League on 8 May, for the first time in its history. Esteghlal Khuzestan won the league title on 13 May after a 2–0 win over Zob Ahan.

Relegation

Following a poor start to the following season, 6 points were deduced from Esteghlal Khuzestan by FIFA. Dariush Yazdi was sacked and Karim Boostani replaced the coach. Results ultimately did not improve under Boostani and he was replaced with Mohammad Alavi. Esteghlal Khuzestan were relegated from the Persian Gulf Pro League to Azadegan League on 3 May 2019.

Stadium

After the takeover of the club in 2011, the club played its home matches in Ahvaz's Takhti Stadium. After the club promoted to the Iran Pro League, it was decided that club continuing to play at Takthi, while big games like Persepolis, Esteghlal and Foolad playing at newly built Ghadir Stadium. In 2015, the club moved to Ghadir permanently, as city rivals Foolad set to move to its private ground.

Rivals

The team competes in Ahvaz derby against two-times Iran Pro League winner Foolad.

Honours

Season-by-season

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

Continental record

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2017	AFC Champions League	Group B	Al-Fateh	1–0	1–1	2nd
			Al-Jazira	1–1	1–0
			Lekhwiya	1–1	1–2
		Round of 16	Al-Hilal	1–2	1–2	2–4

Players

First-team squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  IRN Mohammadreza Ghavidel 2 DF  IRN Jalal Abdi 3 MF  IRN Alireza Daghagheleh 4 DF  CMR Marcus Bemongo 6 MF  IRN Hossein Bahrami 7 MF  IRN Milad Safaei 8 MF  IRN Masoud Asadi 9 FW  IRN Ramin Davoodi 10 FW  IRN Farshad Janfaza (Captain) 14 DF  IRN Mohanad Heydari 15 FW  IRN Amir Hossein Navaei

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 MF  IRN Behrouz Barani 21 FW  IRN Amirmohammad Mohkamkar 23 DF  IRN Hassan Moavei 28 DF  IRN Ali Khanifar 36 DF  IRN Behrouz Afshar 40 DF  IRN Ali Helichi 66 MF  IRN Ali Badavi 77 FW  IRN Hassan Nemati 78 MF  IRN Reza Marvani

For recent transfers, see List of Iranian football transfers winter 2018–19.

Officials

Coaching staff

Staff[5]	Name
Head coach	Sergio Mendes
Assistant coach	Behrouz Makvandi
Goalkeeping coach	Karim Boostani
Fitness coach	Rafael Bispo
International manager	Behdad Bayat
Doctor	Jalal Heydari
Physiotherapist	Sadegh Norouzi
Analyzer	Habib Eslami
B Team Manager	Behrouz Makvandi
Team manager	Afshin Komaei

List of managers

Period	Name	G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Honours
2011–2013	Majid Bagherinia	52	22	15	15	52	41	+11	Promotion to the Persian Gulf Cup
2013–2016	Abdollah Veisi	132	55	47	30	142	131	+21	Azadegan League Persian Gulf Pro League
2016–2017	Sirous Pourmousavi	30	10	11	9	36	34	+2
2017–2018	Abdollah Veisi	30	8	10	12	29	36	-7
2018	Dariush Yazdi	12	2	4	6	8	18	-10
2018–2019	Karim Boostani	8	0	2	6	5	11	-6
2019	Karim Ghanbari (caretaker)	4	1	0	3	3	6	-3

Players in International Tournaments

Players who were a member of their national team at International Competitions while playing for Esteghlal Khuzestan.

Cup	Players
2015 Africa Cup of Nations	Soumbeïla Diakité

See also

• Esteghlal Tehran Football Club
• Esteghlal Ahvaz Football Club
• Esteghlal Dushanbe Football Club

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Esteghlal Khuzestan FC.

• Official website (in Persian) (archived 19 May 2016)