TEHRAN – Persepolis football team claimed the Iran Professional League (IPL) title with three games to spare.

The most decorated Iranian football club beat Padideh 1-0 in Mashhad’s Samen Stadium.

Vahid Amiri opened the goal with a header in the 77th minute.

Persepolis claimed the title for the second successive year.

Branko Ivankovic’s team could have won the title in the 2015-16 Season but became runners-up due to inferior goal difference to Esteghlal Khuzestan.

Ivankovic led Persepolis to 10th title last season with three games to spare and repeated the title in 2017-18 Season.

Iran Professional League is the highest division of professional football in the Persian Gulf country.

 The league was also known as the Persian Gulf Cup from 2006 until 2014. It is the top-level football league in Iran since its foundation in 2001. Each year, the top finishing team in the Persian Gulf Pro League become the Iranian football champions, and the lowest finishing teams are relegated to Azadegan League.

Since 2013, the league comprises 16 teams. The winners and runners-up of the League and the Hazfi Cup champions are automatically qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage. The third team are qualified for the AFC Champions League Play-off round. The bottom two teams in the league are relegated to Azadegan League.

In the past, the format and number of teams were changed for various times. Sepahan are the most successful club, with five titles, while Persepolis is the Iranian record champion, with 11 titles.