AFC Champions League Elite:
Skocic has mixed feelings as Tractor, Al Wahda share points
Tractor head coach Dragan Skocic praised his team’s performances but rued missed opportunities as the Persian Gulf Pro League champion and the UAE’s Al Wahda played to a goalless stalemate at the AFC Champions League Elite in Tabriz on Monday.
Both sides came close to breaking the deadlock on several occasions, with the best chance coming Tomislav Strkalj’s way in the 88th minute, but Tractor striker rattled the crossbar from the edge of the six-yard box.
This was Tractor’s second draw in as many games at the Asian elite clubs’ competition, following a first-day 1-1 result against Emirati champion Shabab Al Ahli in Dubai.
“The result was not satisfying, but the players’ performance was excellent,” Skocic said after the game, adding: “They played exactly the way I wanted, both defensively and offensively.”
“We wasted many chances, but the team played well. Al Wahda’s squad is more expensive than ours, and of course we felt the absence of (Mahdi) Torabi and Domagoj (Drozdek),” added the Croatian.
“We had analyzed all aspects of their game, including their long balls. Sometimes, we built up with three players at the back, and at times we changed our shape. Our performance was good, but we were also unlucky.”
Skocic’s opposite number Jose Morais – the former head coach of Iranian club Sepahan – felt his team competed well throughout the 90 minutes and the Portuguese was proud with how his side were able to handle the atmosphere at the jam-packed Yadegar-e Imam Stadium.
“From the very first minute, there was a real fight between the two teams,” said Morais. “The pace of the game was very high, and the outcome was uncertain until the very last moment. In the end, I think justice was done, and the draw was fair.
“Fortunately, our defense performed well for most of the match, and we managed to stop Tractor’s attacks. They are a strong team who transition quickly from defense to attack. I must congratulate my players because they played very well.”
Tractor will be chasing a first victory of the campaign when playing away to Sharjah FC on October 20, while Al Wahda will host Al Duhail SC of Qatar on the same day.
Elsewhere on Monday, Marcos Leonardo struck 11 minutes from time as Al Hilal sealed a dramatic 3-2 win over a stubborn PFC Nasaf in Qarshi, Uzbekistan, to maintain their perfect start to the league phase of the competition.
Al Duhail and defending champion Al Ahli Saudi both had the lead but eventually had to settle for a 2-2 draw in Al Rayyan, while Spanish striker Joselu and Ferjani Sassi were on target in the second half as Al Gharafa defeated Iraq’s Al Shorta 2-0 at home.