leaders after a 1–0 away win over Sepahan but lose the winter championship to Sepahan at the final match of the first half. They also bought Hassan Ashjari, Farzad Hatami, Vicente Arze and Iman Mousavi in the January transfers window and Farhad Majidi returned to the first team after one season. They also released Ferydoon Zandi, Amin Manouchehri, Milad Meydavoudi, Rodrigo Tosi and Liam Reddy. They began the second half successfully and not lost until last match against Damash. Esteghlal also began season's Hazfi Cup with a 4–0 win at Saipa. On 5 May 2013, his side celebrated their 8th Iran Pro League title, 3rd under Ghalenoei with a 1–0 win over Foolad with goal from Javad Nekounam. His side also reaches to the Quarter-finals of the Champions League after ending group match in the first rank over Al-Hilal and also Al-Shabab in the Round of 16. 2013–14 Ghalenoei stayed at Esteghlal despite bids from Al-Ain and Mes Kerman for their vacant managerial position. Esteghlal bought few players like Ahmad Jamshidian, Mohammad Mehdi Nazari, Pejman Nouri, Mohammad Ghazi and Alireza Vahedi Nikbakht. Fardin Abedini also returned from the loan. His team also kept many of the last season's players but Mojtaba Jabbari doesn't extended his contract and joined Sepahan. Iman Mousavi, Abbas Mohammadrezaei, Farzad Hatami, Hassan Ashjari, Maysam Baou, Ali Hamoudi also sold and Vicente Arze left the team and returned to Charleroi after the end of his loan contract. Esteghlal also won Damash Karaj and Dynamo Kiev during pre-season friendly matches. Esteghlal began the league with a 2–1 away win over Gostaresh Foolad. Esteghlal finished the season in a disappointing 5th place, knocked out in the Group stage of AFC Champions League. Esteghlal also knocked out by Mes Kerman in the semi-finals. 2014–15 Ghalenoei promised to begin a new project in Esteghlal with signing youth players from Esteghlal's academy and other teams, which he do so in 2003. At the end of the season, he was sacked from the team due to his weak results and finishing the season in the 6th place. Iranian national team IRIFF appointed Ghalenoei as head coach of the Iran national football team on 17 July 2006 to succeed Branko Ivanković. After finishing first in the qualifying round 2 points ahead of South Korea and then finishing first in the group stage of the final tournament in Malaysia, Iran lost to South Korea in