AFC Champions League Two:
Rahmati praises ‘disciplined’ Golgohar on continental debut
Golgohar head coach Mahdi Rahmati was full of praise for his players’ “disciplined performance” after the Persian Gulf Premier League club played to a goalless draw on its continental debut, sharing the points with the UAE’s Al Jazira in the AFC Champions League Two Group B opener in Hisor, Tajikistan, on Tuesday.
Neither side was able to find a way through during the clash at Hisor Central Stadium, which served as Golgohar’s home venue for the day, with the Iranians’ well-drilled defense keeping their more experienced, Cosmin Olaroiu-coached opponents at bay throughout.
Former Guangzhou Evergrande and Al Nassr forward Anderson Talisca carried the main threat for Al Jazira, with the Brazilian going close on multiple occasions during the opening 45 minutes to give the Emirati side the lead.
His first sight of goal came in the 12th minute when his attempt from distance flew narrowly wide of Farzin Garousian’s left post, while 20 minutes later his header from eight yards out was comfortably gathered by the goalkeeper.
Al Jazira’s dominance continued into the second half, with Garousian called upon to deny Bruno Conceicao’s goal-bound header on the hour mark.
Thirteen minutes later, Mamadou Coulibaly’s effort bounced off the top of the crossbar, with the midfielder looping his shot towards goal after Talisca’s free kick had been blocked and Milson rolled the rebound back into his teammate’s path.
As Al Jazira kept probing for a way through, Kristjan Asllani almost netted at the death with a diving header, but the Iranian side’s defense remained resolute to secure a well-deserved point.
“It was a difficult and demanding match. I thank my players for their disciplined performance as, for more than 90 minutes, they showed great concentration, worked extremely hard and followed every detail of our game plan,” Rahmati, who replaced Mahdi Tartar on the Golgohar bench in the summer, said after the match.
“Our first match in Asia was an important one, and earning our first point was significant for the team’s confidence,” the coach said. “We knew it would be a difficult game. At the beginning, we were looking to control the match, and then we wanted to create chances against Al Jazira.”
Rahmati also criticized the demanding schedule of the Iranian top flight, saying the packed fixture list had taken a toll on his players ahead of their continental debut.
“The Iranian league has taken all our energy. We have had to play a league match every four days, and we faced Al Jazira while tired,” he said. “The players gave everything, and we will try to collect the points we need in the upcoming matches to qualify from the group.”
Rahmati welcomed the upcoming international break as a breather for his players.
“Qualification would be a great achievement for Golgohar, which is participating in Asian competitions for the first time,” Rahmati said.
The coach also pointed to the significant changes made to the squad in the preseason, saying the team needed time to develop.
“The team has undergone many changes, with a lot of new players joining. That is why we need time to build the team we have in mind,” he said.
Golgohar will resume Group B action with an away game against Bahrain’s Al Muharraq in Riffa on October 14. The Bahraini club got off to a losing start in the group on Tuesday, suffering a 1-0 away defeat to Turkmenistan’s FC Arkadag.