AFC Champions League last 16:
Sepahan’s Morais rues red card in late collapse against Al Hilal
Sepahan manager Jose Morais said his side’s home defeat against Saudi giant Al Hilal in the first leg of the AFC Champions League last-16 tie was down to Mohammad Daneshgar’s late red card in Isfahan on Thursday.
The game in front of a capacity crowd of 70,000 at the Naqsh-e Jahan Stadium looked set for a 1-1 stalemate but the Saudi Pro League leaders made the most of the center-back’s sending off 14 minutes from normal time, finding the net twice in stoppage time to take a 3-1 win into next week’s rematch in Riyadh.
A VAR intervention convinced the Kuwaiti referee to show Daneshgar his marching orders for a high tackle on Abdullah Al Hamddan’s shin.
Iranian international Ramin Rezaeian gave the home side a 37th-minute lead but Al Hilal’s recruitments in a summer of spending spree eventually made the difference as Brazilian Malcom drew the visitors level 12 minutes after the break and Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrović headed home in the fourth minute of added time for his 26th goal of the season.
Saudi star Salem Al Dawsari then played Al Hamddan through the middle before his composed finish rounded off a precious away triumph for Al Hilal in the 97th minute.
“The only weakness we had was the red card. I did not see any other weaknesses. Defensive organization is our main strength but I must say conceding the second goal was a surprise as we were defending with nine players to Al Hilal’s five,” a frustrated Morais said after the match.
“We played against a very good team. With one less player, we will definitely face challenges. We suffered and sacrificed ourselves. Sometimes we didn’t make the right decisions, but we played a good game before the dismissal.
“We had many chances but we didn’t score, but it’s not over yet.”
Meanwhile, Morais’s fellow Portuguese and opposite number on Al Hilal bench Jorge Jesus said his side deserved the victory.
“We won because we were better and we deserved this win. Congratulations to my players,” said Jesus.
“It is a good advantage and with respect to our opponents, we will continue to play our game and I want to win again.”
Jesus said believed the late introduction of Mohammed Al Burayk and Al Hamddan turned the tide for Saudi side, which is chasing a record-extending fifth trophy in the Asian elite clubs’ competition.
“The target was to send on players who are faster and the two of them changed the game.
“The first half was a bit difficult, but we still created a couple of chances. In the second half we showed our strength and the game became difficult for Sepahan, especially after they had a player sent off.”
The two teams meet again next Thursday with the winners to face either Uzbekistan’s Navbahor or Al Ittihad FC of Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals.