Persepolis earns last-gasp win over Al Jazira in 2018 AFC Champions League

Iran’s Persian Gulf Pro League professional soccer club Persepolis has claimed a dramatic win over Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates to book a place in the quarter-finals of the 2018 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.

The Iranian soccer players beat the Emirati side 2-1 in the second leg of their Round of 16 encounter at Azadi Stadium in western Tehran on Monday evening.

The hosts put the visiting team under pressure ever since the referee blew his whistle and signaled the start of the game.

Despite the pressure, the Iranians failed to score in the first half and both teams were tied at nil.

Al Jazira continued to defend well in the second period, but Perespolis finally found a breakthrough in the 63rd minute when Ahmad Nourollahi struck forcefully from 25 yards out into the top corner to put the home side 1-0 in front.

Al Jazira manager Henk ten Cate then decided to introduce striker Ahmed Al Hashmi for defender Mohammed Fawzi.

Just seven minutes later, Brazilian football player Romário Ricardo Silva, commonly known as Romarinho, drilled in a shot from outside the area into the bottom corner to equalize the match.

Persepolis built up the pressure for the remainder of the match, and skipper Seyed Jalal Hosseini pounced on a poor defensive clearance from Musallem Fayez with a minute to play to net the winner and send Persepolis into the next level.

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