After parking my car and walking (or rather running) to the stadium, I bought my ticket and found a seat. Another game from Tehran’s League was being played and was within its final stages. It suddenly dawned upon me that perhaps my ticket was only valid for the game in progress and that I would have to leave after its conclusion. Looking at the size of the crowd and the difficulty of removing everyone, I reassured myself that the ticket was probably for both games. The worst scenario would be that I would have to leave the stadium in which case I would simply buy a ticket for the second game. The first game finally ended and everyone stayed put as Pas and Keshavarz entered the field and began their warmups.

I already knew many of their players although this was the first time I was seeing them in person. I was seated on the side closer to Pas’s goal in the 1st half and as such witnessed Zarrincheh repeatedly charging down the flank only to overhit his cross. In one instance Keshavarz’s inexperience as a team became evident as after they earned a free kick on the right flank, all of Pas’s players stepped up on the ensuing kick, leaving half of Keshavarz’s team in an offside position. The 1st half ended scoreless.

Early in the 2nd half, a quick throw-in from the right side went to Modirroosta. He let the ball bounce past him at the edge of the box and then with his back to the goal turned and hit it one time to give Pas a 1-0 lead. Keshavarz began piling up the pressure in search of an equalizer and most of the crowd got behind them. At one point Abedian, the former Persepolis player, began warming up to go on as a sub. Someone from behind me shouted, “Let’s boo Abedian when he goes on!” A few minutes later he was subbed in and true to his word the fan behind me began booing him although he cut it short once he realized that no one else was following suit. Later in the game Alidoosti received a ball and managed to slip it past Gholampour to tie the game 1-1.

Rest in peace to him and Keshavarz.