Persepolis qualifies for AFC Champions League Round of 16
Iran’s Persian Gulf Pro League professional soccer club Persepolis has found its passage to the 2017 AFC Champions League Round of 16 following a deserved victory over Al Wahda of the United Arab Emirates in the group stage of the continental tournament.
On Monday evening, the Iranian soccer players entered the Group D match at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium needing a win to advance.
The visitors, however, started the game in a better fashion, and it took Persepolis nearly a quarter to establish itself.
The hosts' first scoring opportunity came in the 10th minute, when midfielder Vahid Amiri took a shot at Al Wahda’s goal, but it went wide.
In the 17th minute, Persepolis midfielder Soroush Rafiei made use of the ghastly mistake made by Al Wahda goalkeeper Rashed Ali, and opened the scoring for the hosts to send the home crowd at the stadium into jubilation.
Persepolis built up momentum after the goal, and its 24-year-old striker Mehdi Taremi scored the team’s second of the match on a pass from Amiri in the 20th minute.
Al Wahda struck back after the half-hour mark as Ahmed Al Akberi found the target.
Al Wahda opened the second half with strong offensive rebound, and 32-year-old Argentine Sebastian Tagliabue pulled the visitors level on the 51st minute.
Persepolis, though, soon found a second wind as Taremi stepped up to a starring role by scoring three minutes later to restore the home side's lead.
But it wasn't enough for Al Wahda as Taremi completed his hat trick in the 70th minute to ultimately seal Persepolis 4-2 win.
Separately, Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli defeated Iranian football club Zob Ahan 2-0 in a Group C match at Doha’s Thani Bin Jassim Stadium.
Both teams failed to score a goal in the first half, and went into the cloakrooms tied at nil. Abdulfattah Asiri put Al Ahli in front in the 63rd minute and, with six minutes remaining, Amiri Kurdi doubled the Saudi team’s lead.
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