Iran’s Esteghlal beats Saudi Al-Hilal in 2018 AFC Champions League
Iranian professional football club Esteghlal Tehran has pulled off a deserved victory in the group stage of the 2018 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, defeating Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia.
On Tuesday evening, the Tehran-based team beat the Saudi side 1-0 in a Group D clash at the multi-purpose Seeb Sports Stadium in the northeastern Omani city of Seeb.
While Iranian players lined up on the center circle ahead of the match to observe a minute of silence in honor of 66 victims of a recent plane crash in central Iran, Al Hilal footballers did not line up opposite.
The Saudis’ disrespect to the memories of victims, and causing upset to their affected families and friends are not strange to football enthusiasts worldwide, as the kingdom’s national football team ignored a minute of silence for victims of the London terror attack before its World Cup qualifier with Australia at the Adelaide Oval on June 8, 2017.
Al-Hilal footballers went close to scoring the opener in the dying minutes of the first period, when Ali al-Bulayhi struck from the edge of box. Esteghlal’s goalkeeper Mehdi Rahmati, however, collected the ball with a smart save and eliminated the Saudi team's chance.
After the break, Iranian footballers played with more vigor and valor, and took the lead through an own goal by Al-Hilal defender Abdullah Al-Hafith.
Esteghlal had a vast array of scoring chances later in the game though its strikers squandered the opportunities, and failed to tack.
Al-Hilal’s troubles were doubled in the in the 67th minute, when its custodian Ali al-Habsi was sent off the pitch for handling the ball outside the penalty area.
Persepolis loses to Qatar’s Al-Sadd 3-1 at AFC Champions League
Meanwhile, Iran’s Persian Gulf Pro League professional soccer club Persepolis sustained a 3-1 loss at the hands of Qatari Al-Sadd Sports Club in a Group C game played at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari capital city of Doha.
Al-Sadd began the match on the front foot, and could score the first goal in the 36th minute when its Algerian forward Baghdad Bounedjah surged into the box, and headed in a cross from teammate Akram Afif.
Boundjah was on target once again in the 56th minute after receiving a pass from Captain Xavier Hernández Creus, better known as Xavi, into the box.
Al-Sadd added to its lead in the 66th minute, when substitute Boualem Khoukhi fired a stinging shot that kissed the net.
Persepolis struck a consolation goal through Siamak Nemati four minutes into the additional time.
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