Two Iranian teams lined up against their rivals in the series of Asian Football Confederation Champions League on Matchday 3 of the games, March 5.
In Group C, a five-minute double salvo earned Iran’s Persepolis a solid 2-0 win over UAE’s Al Wasl at Azadi Stadium of Tehran on Monday, AFC reported.
Farshad Ahmadzadeh handed Persepolis the lead in the 36th minute after Hossein Mahini’s long throw-in was headed by Captain Jalal Hosseini onto the path of Ahmadzadeh who was well positioned at the far post to volley into the roof of the net.
Five minutes later, striker Ali Alipour doubled the joy of the home fans at Azadi Stadium. The number 70 was brought down inside the box as he attempted to round Al Wasl goalkeeper Yousif Abdulla. Alipour converted the resulting spot-kick down the middle for his third goal of the competition.
Australian midfielder Anthony Caceres came within a whisker of halving the deficit for Al Wasl in the dying minutes, but his curled effort from a free-kick was tipped behind for a corner kick by a flying Alireza Beiranvand. The scorer of the first goal, Farshad Ahmadzadeh, was chosen as the best player of the match after the game.
After defeating Al Wasl and considering Qatar’s Al Sadd losing the game to Nasaf Qarshi of Uzbekistan, Persepolis earned the top place of Group C by six points and due to goal difference above Al Sadd and Nasaf.
Tractorsazi Stops
UAE’s Al Jazira and Iran’s Tractorsazi Tabriz played out a goalless draw at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in a Group A tie on Monday.
Ehsan Pahlevan had the most dangerous chance of the game three minutes after the restart after he was sent through on goal by a sublime Mehdi Kiani pass. The Tractorsazi winger fired with his left, but goalkeeper Ali Khaseif blocked the angle and saved from close distance to keep the score level.
Danial Esmaeilifar came agonizingly close to open the scoring for the visitors at the hour-mark as he capitalized on a defensive mistake to send a low drive through the legs of Al Jazira’s Mohamed Jamal. Esmaeilifar watched his shot graze the outside of the upright and go out for a goal kick. Tractrosazi’s Brazilian goalkeeper Jordi Almeida had his toughest test three minutes from time when defender Khalifa Mubarak rose highest to head Khalfan Mubarak’s free-kick, but the goalkeeper dived low to save at his near post and earn his side a clean sheet and an important away point.
The Iranian side is yet to score a goal in the competition this season and will be eager to break its duck when welcoming Al Jazira to Tabriz next week.
