Zob Ahan Football Club (Persian: \u0628\u0627\u0634\u06af\u0627\u0647 \u0641\u0648\u062a\u0628\u0627\u0644 \u0630\u0648\u0628 \u200c\u0622\u0647\u0646) is an Iranian football club based in Esfahan, Iran.<\/P>
It is sponsored by the Esfahan Steel Company, which also goes by the name Zob Ahan. The club's main rival is fellow Esfahani team Sepahan, which is also sponsored by the rival steel mill.<\/P>
Zob Ahan club also has a basketball team, sponsored by the same Esfahan Steel Company, which is one of the teams in the Iranian Super League.<\/P>
Mohammad Ali Taghizadeh Farahmand established the club in 1969. They entered the Takhte Jamshid Cup in 1973. Zob Ahan prepared its team by buying 14 players from Sepahan. Zob Ahan has always been the wealthier team. The team has participated in the highest Iranian league for every year except in 1995 when they played in the 2nd division. They were promoted to the 1st division the year after and are now seen as contenders every season in the IPL ever since. The club's biggest honor to date has been winning the Hazfi Cup in 2003 against Shiraz based team Moghavemat Sepasi. The victory was established as a personal feat for the club, whom had lost to the same club two year earlier in the Hazfi Cup final.This feat was repeated in the 2008–09 Hazfi Cup, when the club overmatched Rah Ahan F.C. to claim the title.The club was able to participate in the Asian Champions League after winning the Hazfi Cup, but did not make any noise and was soon eliminated.<\/P>
Having missed out so narrowly on a maiden league title the in the 2008-2009 season, Zobahan were contenders once again in the 2009\/10 season, never dropping out of the top-four throughout the season. However, they had to settle for second place once again after finishing six points behind city rivals Sepahan F.C.. They also lost their grip on the Hazfi Cup after a shock 0-2 loss to second-tier side Gostaresh Foolad F.C. in the semi-finals.<\/P>
The table below chronicles the achievements of Zob Ahan since 1973.<\/P>","87C021F1E71FC6CD6E05BF0B3DD05793":"","6B02481E401D41DD8A44F7EAE1BDE140":"Mes Rafsanjan","4DC924206DB9E0EB3B8818DC2C371A93":"Foolad Shahr Stadium","1CD1A53514962B6A":"1","892B81E13FEE84C5":"","03A7D9C89753B0D1D7F7ED990952C548":"0","56D1193A280251FE":"Zob Ahan","7C314F98A46E5CCF80F8B8125BB0A065":"2023-6-25","84FBAAA541406939DA36722337FBDFD18D691C310C47982D":"1969-7-6","32EED5AE2B03C17AE9CE11F4F5F2936F":"Zob Ahan","9770E443802D7F63":"","CC02AD5B3CF69E6DCAD0426C64DE8022":"Iran","A71E2A228B763CFB":"Esfahan","8165D0EC38D769BD27A209A15276D0CF":"","A2993BAC4D9D88EC":"","F84B1B8AF3973AEE":"","0EB6A015033C3CEC56DA30D47F1CA55E":"","341115063FD1CD8D":"2003578","34A0AE9CBA0644B6":"http:\/\/www.zobahanclub.com\/","03A7D9C89753B0D1380A64764519199FB9772FF9B422CB1E":"1","41780118C08E58E3":"","e_index":3};