Sunday, October 12, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Khalij Fars Stadium , Bandar-Abbas
Full time

Naft Bandar Abbas vs Mes Soongoun Match Recap - Oct 12, 2025

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Naft Bandar Abbas Grinds Out Victory Over Mes Soongoun to Climb Away From Danger Zone in Azadegan League

In the heat of the Persian Gulf, Naft Bandar Abbas seized their moment, edging Mes Soongoun 1-0 on Sunday evening at Khalij Fars Stadium in a match that felt less like a meeting of lower-table sides and more like a test of nerve, grit, and emerging identity.

The contest’s only goal arrived just after halftime, a moment of clarity in an otherwise tense and fragmented encounter. Forward Ali Dorosti—whose work rate has never been in doubt—pounced on a loose ball at the edge of the six-yard box in the 52nd minute and lashed it home, sending the home fans into rare celebration. The finish punctuated a scrappy second act, where both sides resorted to direct play and robust challenges, as if fully aware of the stakes attached to every Azadegan League point at this precarious juncture of the season.

From the opening whistle, it was a study in anxiety and ambition. Naft Bandar Abbas, buoyed by last week’s confident 2-0 away win over Naft Gachsaran, sought to establish territory early, pinning back a Mes Soongoun side that seemed burdened by its winless record and the specter of a negative points tally. The visitors, bottom of the league with -2 points—their deficit the result of earlier administrative punishments—showed flashes of cohesion in midfield but struggled to carve open the disciplined Naft defense.

Both teams entered desperate for a swing in fortune. For Naft, the last five matches revealed incremental improvement: a pair of scoreless draws, two narrow defeats, and, most recently, a badly needed win to re-establish belief. Mes Soongoun, by contrast, arrived reeling from five straight disappointments—a run extended tonight by a blunt inability to threaten in the final third. Even their lone draw in September feels distant amid a string of blank sheets and defensive lapses.

The match’s critical juncture came eight minutes after halftime. A searching cross from right back Mansour Ahmadi was only half-cleared by the Mes Soongoun defense. The ball ricocheted to Dorosti, who took a touch and struck with authority. For Mes Soongoun’s goalkeeper, it was another harsh lesson in a campaign already laden with them.

Mes Soongoun’s response, to their credit, grew more urgent. Midfielder Mehdi Goudarzi came close with a curling effort from the edge of the area, only to see Naft’s keeper, Reza Jafari, claw it away at full stretch. As the hour mark approached, frustration threatened to boil over. Referee Hossein Abbasi was called into frequent action, doling out five yellow cards—three to Mes Soongoun, whose tackles grew increasingly desperate as time slipped away. There were loud appeals for a penalty in the 73rd minute when substitute forward Farzad Vaziri tumbled under pressure in the box, but Abbasi, unmoved, waved play on.

In the closing stages, Mes Soongoun threw bodies forward, gambling for parity. Their best chance came in stoppage time: a driven low cross skidded through a forest of legs, and captain Amir Salari—still seeking his first goal of the campaign—pushed his shot inches wide. The final whistle cut short the visitors’ late momentum and left their traveling supporters, modest as they were, in subdued silence.

This result throws the spotlight on the fractured state of both clubs—but especially Mes Soongoun. Rooted to 18th place with -2 points (0W-1D-6L), they are now staring at an increasingly steep climb just to reach positive ground. For Naft Bandar Abbas, the victory lifts them to 12th place with 6 points (2W-3D-2L), a minor but pivotal leap away from the relegation zone, and confirmation that their recent upturn in form is no mirage.

If recent history between these two clubs suggested a closely contested tie, tonight’s encounter instead amplified the gap in confidence and capability. Last season, they split their meetings—a draw at this very stadium, a narrow Mes Soongoun win in Tabriz—but in 2025, the narrative has reversed. Naft’s compact defending and opportunistic finishing have begun to answer early-season doubts; Mes Soongoun’s slide, by contrast, deepens with each passing week.

Looking ahead, Naft Bandar Abbas faces a defining stretch: a run of fixtures against fellow mid-table sides, where points are at once attainable and essential. There is work to be done—particularly in attack, where creativity remains in short supply—but back-to-back wins signal a gathering resilience. Mes Soongoun, marooned at the bottom, must confront a harsh reality. With zero wins through seven matches and their points total still in the red, they face a relegation battle not just in mathematics, but in spirit.

In Bandar Abbas, as the sun set over the Gulf, Naft supporters allowed themselves a rare evening of optimism—a single goal, a single victory, but perhaps the start of something more. For Mes Soongoun, the road home will feel especially long.