AFC Champions League Two:
Wasteful Esteghlal facing knockout exit after Al Hussein setback
Persian Gulf Pro League side Esteghlal suffered a major setback in its quest for AFC Champions League Two glory, falling to a 1-0 defeat against Jordan’s Al Hussein in the first leg of their last-16 tie at Dubai’s Al Maktoum Stadium on Tuesday.
Jordan international Sisa struck late at the neutral venue to hand Al Hussein – who had been under sustained pressure for much of the contest – a slender advantage ahead of next week’s return leg in Amman.
The Tehran Blues dominated the opening half and created a string of chances. Saeid Saharkhizan came close in the eighth minute, ghosting into the box but failing to control Alireza Kooshki’s cross.
Al Hussein goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila was kept busy throughout the first half, tipping away a curling effort from Munir El Haddadi before producing fine saves to deny Kooshki from a free-kick and Abolfazl Zamani from close range.
Esteghlal’s clearest opportunity arrived just before halftime when Zamani threaded a pass through to Jasir Asani. With only Abulaila to beat, the Albanian international dragged his right-footed effort wide.
Asani sought redemption early in the second half, cutting in from the right and firing into the side netting. Minutes later, he thought he had broken the deadlock, only for his strike to be ruled out following a VAR review that detected an offside earlier in the move.
Misfortune struck again in the 63rd minute when Esteghlal had a second goal disallowed. Rustamjon Ashurmatov’s glancing header from Kooshki’s free-kick was ruled marginally offside.
Esteghlal’s profligacy in front of goal ultimately proved costly. Al Hussein gradually grew into the match, with Mahmoud Kharouba and Aref Haitham forcing Habib Far Abbasi into action for the first time.
The breakthrough came in the 78th minute when Esteghlal failed to deal with a corner. The clearance fell to Sisa some 30 yards from goal, and the Jordanian unleashed a superb swerving strike that beat a stunned Abbasi to secure a vital away victory.