News / Sports

Esteghlal, Esteghlal Khuzestan reach AFC Champions League last 16

Wednesday, 10 May 2017 7:55 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 10 May 2017 8:29 AM ]

Esteghlal Tehran’s midfielder Jaber Ansari (R) rejoices after scoring a goal during the AFC Champions League Group A match between Esteghlal Tehran (players in blue) and Al Taawoun of Saudi Arabia (not pictured) at Al Ahli Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on May 9, 2017.

Iranian professional football clubs Esteghlal Tehran and Esteghlal Melli-Sanati Khuzestan Football Club, commonly known as Esteghlal Khuzestan, have cruised into the knockout stage of the 2017 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.

On Tuesday evening, the Tehran-based Esteghlal, which plays in the highest level of the Iranian football league system – the Persian Gulf Pro League, handed al-Taawoun of Saudi Arabia a 2-1 defeat at the end of a Group A match staged at Al Ahli Stadium in the Qatari capital city of Doha.

Iranian players started the match in a dominant fashion, and rolled the ball in the right side of the pitch, where 26-year-old striker Ali Ghorbani lashed a long volley. Esteghlal’s Kaveh Rezaei jumped up and flicked a header, but al-Taawoun’s goalkeeper Sultan al-Ghamdi pulled off a spectacular save and prevented Persians from opening the scoring.

The blue-clad Esteghlal players finally found the back of the net in the 19th minute, when midfielder Jaber Ansari unleashed a powerful shot that Ghamdi found unable to parry.

Mohammed al-Saiari leveled the for the Buraidah-based al-Taawoun in the 36th minute, before Rezaei beat the Saudi keeper in a one on one and struck the winner less than a quarter from time .

The photo shows a view of the AFC Champions League Group B match between Esteghlal Khuzestan football club (players in blue) and Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates at Ghadir Stadium in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, on May 9, 2017.

In another match of the day, Esteghlal Khuzestan held Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates to a one-all draw in a Group B fixture, and progressed to the 2017 AFC Champions League Round of 16.

Al Jazira midfielder Humaid Ahmed gave the visitors the lead shortly before the break at multi-purpose Ghadir Stadium in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz.

The hosts bounced back after the interval and substitute Mehdi Zobeidi headed home a late equalizer with just four minutes remaining.

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