ShenaVarsazi Keshm played out a 2-2 draw with Novin Ahvaz in the Azadegan League's second round of matches on Monday. The result keeps both sides in the lower reaches of the table, though the away side's single point from two games puts them just one behind their hosts.
S. Yahyazadeh opened the scoring in the ninth minute, a quick start that set the tone for an open encounter. O. Khalidi then took matters into his own hands twice, finding the net in the thirty-fifth and forty-fifth minutes to give Novin Ahvaz a two-goal cushion before the break. By then the home side were chasing the game.
ShenaVarsazi Keshm refused to fold. They found a way back into the match and in the eighty-ninth minute they equalised, though the scorer was not recorded. And here's the thing — that late response changed everything, turning what could have been another frustrating afternoon into something more substantial.
Both teams remain winless after two matches. ShenaVarsazi Keshm sit eighth with two points from two draws, while Novin Ahvaz are twelfth with one point from one draw and one loss. Neither side has yet found their rhythm, but this result suggests both are capable of competing.
The recent form gives some context. ShenaVarsazi Keshm drew 0-0 with Pars Jonoubi earlier this month and had previously beaten Havardar 3-0. Novin Ahvaz lost 1-0 to Nirou Zamini on their most recent outing. This draw at least breaks the losing pattern for the visitors.