TEHRAN, Iran (Feb. 5, 2026) (Interstat) — Esteghlal Tehran FC opened its Persian Gulf Pro League season with a 3-2 victory over Shams Azar Qazvin FC on Thursday at Azadi Stadium. The home side overcame a projected upset to secure the win.

Shams Azar Qazvin took a surprising lead just before halftime with a 45th-minute goal from Abolfazl Jalali. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-0 win for the visitors, while its ELO system gave Esteghlal a 78.1% win probability.

Esteghlal responded in the second half with three goals to claim the match. The victory gives Esteghlal a 1-0 start in league play, while Shams Azar begins its campaign 0-1. Both clubs hold identical records across all competitions.