Persepolis goes down to Al-Hilal in AFC Champions League
Iran’s Persian Gulf Pro League professional soccer club Persepolis has slumped to a heavy defeat from Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the 2017 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, and its hopes to progress and win the first continental title have been wrecked.
On Tuesday evening, the Iranian soccer players suffered a 0-4 loss from the Riyadh-based team at the end of a much-awaited clash in the first leg of the tournament semi-final at the multi-purpose al-Jazira Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.
The Saudi soccer players started the game in a more determined fashion, and availed themselves of Persepolis footballers’ mistakes within the first quarter to go in front and get close to scoring the opener. Their efforts failed to yield result though.
Persepolis 26-year-old midfielder Mohsen Mosalman received the ball behind the penalty area in the 28th minute, and unleashed a left-foot shot that went wide of the target.
In the 31st minute, Al-Hilal players created a great opportunity for Syrian footballer Omar Maher Kharbin, who hit a header and put his side on the scoreboard.
Shortly afterwards, Salem al-Dawsari was able to gain access into Persepolis box, and his shot cannoned off the crossbar.
With five minutes to the end of the regulation time, Al-Hilal’s 25-year-old Yasser al-Shahrani took the ball and ran with it just outside Persepolis penalty area.
He fired a right-foot shot that moved past Alireza Beiranvand and kissed the net.
After the breather, Al-Hilal soccer players continued to put Persepolis under pressure.
In the 48th minute, Dawsari sent the ball to the right, and Kharbin jumped to the chance to score a brace and widen the deficit to 3-0.
Al-Hilal’s midfielder Abdullah Otayf picked up his second red card in the 49th minute, and was sent-off.
Kharbin scored his third goal of the game in the 88th minute and made it 4-0.
Even though Persepolis Nigerian forward Godwin Mensha tried very hard to score a goal, his attempts just fell short.
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