Matchday Three: Iran’s Zob Ahan Defeats UAE’s Al Wahda

A lively start to the game saw the two sides exchange attempts inside the first five minutes. Al Wahda goalkeeper Mohammed Al Shamsi was forced into a reflex save after Bakhtiar Rahmani’s side-footed effort from inside the box.

The visitor responded instantly through Sebastian Tagliabue’s solo effort, but the Argentine’s low drive from an angle was pushed away by goalkeeper Mohammad Mazaheri.

In the 34th minute of the match Tabrizi opened the scoring from Sayed Hosseini’s cross. The striker was well positioned at the far post to head home the cross for his second goal of the campaign.

Tabrizi doubled the host’s lead in the 72nd minute, benefitting from a defensive lapse that allowed Kiros to get on the end of a long pass and set up his teammate behind Al Wahda’s defense. Tabrizi then deftly attempted a placed shot from 30 yards out that nestled into the back of the net.

Zob Ahan will go into next week’s Matchday Four fixture in Abu Dhabi with six points to its name, while Al Wahda will look to avenge its defeat and end its winless run in the competition which now stands at four games.