AFC Champions League Elite:
Esteghlal off to flying start; Persepolis rues poor finishing
Persian Gulf Pro League club Esteghlal kicked off its AFC Champions League Elite campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Qatari side Al Gharafa 3-0 in Tehran.
Esteghlal archrival Persepolis, meanwhile, was left regretting missed chances in front of the goal after a 1-0 loss to Al Ahli Saudi in Jeddah.
Perfect start
Having endured weeks of uncertainty swirling around his future on the Blues’ bench, Esteghlal head coach Javad Nekounam couldn’t have asked for a brighter start in the Shahr-e Qods Stadium after Al Gharafa defender Abdalla Yousif turned Ramin Rezaeian’s cross from the right flank into his own net four minutes into the game.
The Blues had to wait until the closing stages for a second goal when Rezaeian nutmegged Matias Nani on the right flank before his low drive found the bottom corner in the 79th minute.
Substitute Aarash Rezavand wrapped up the points with a cool finish from inside the box two minutes from normal time.
“This win is for the players who worked hard. I was just by their side and they showed that they have a high position in Iranian football,” said Nekounam said after the game.
“The condition of the team is getting better day by day. The players overcame the difficult conditions we faced in the last few days and I am really happy for the fans.”
Wasteful Reds
When Ivorian midfielder Frank Kessie fired a star-studded Al Ahli in front with less than two minutes into the game, Persepolis fans feared for a long night in a packed Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium.
The following proceedings, however, proved otherwise as the Iranian champion dictated the tempo for the remainder of the first half, with Soroush Rafiei and Vahid Amiri winning the midfield battles while Oston Urunov was a menace on the left flank.
Persepolis came close to drawing level in the 35th minute as Ali Alipour’s point-blank header forced Edouard Mendy into a superb save before Uronov’s attempt on the rebound went just wide.
The Reds thought their dominance paid off when Urunov was brought down in the box by Turkish center-back Merih Demiral and Jordanian referee blew in his whistle for a spot-kick, only to controversially change his decision after a VAR review.
“Everyone in the stadium saw it was a clear penalty and I don’t really why the ref changed his mind,” Persepolis coach Juan Carlos Garrido said after the game.
The Reds were again the likeliest of the two sides to score after the break though they had goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz to thank for not conceding a second goal as he denied Algerian international teammate Riyad Mahrez from the spot just before the hour mark.
The defeat meant Persepolis has only managed one win in four outings under the new Spanish coach but the performance in Jeddah was defiantly one to build on for the future games.
“Overall, we played a good match. We have a good team and we have great fans. Al Ahli have good players, especially Kessie, and I am happy with our control despite the opponents having several illustrious players,” said the Spaniard.