Persepolis Can Write Its Name into History Books: AFC
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Persepolis of Iran will start the second leg of the AFC Champions League final on Saturday 2-0 down to Japan’s Kashima Antlers but Branko Ivankovic’s team will be confident that it can still write its name into the history books.
No side has overhauled a two-goal first-leg deficit in the final since Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad recovered from losing 3-1 to Korea Republic’s Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in 2004 to win the return meeting 5-0 and be crowned champion.
Azadi Stadium, though, brings out the best in the Iranian giant and this final is far from over.
After advancing to the Round of 16 for the second year in a row, Persepolis conceded in the 96th minute to lose 3-2 away at the United Arab Emirates’ Al Jazira and, at 1-1 in the reverse fixture, was heading for the exit door.
Spurred on by a capacity crowd, defender Jalal Hosseini showed a striker’s instinct to fire home in the 89th minute, with the captain’s goal sparking joyous celebrations all around as a place in the last eight was secured at the death.
“It was a difficult match and we played against a very professional side. I want to thank God that we defeated them and I also thank our fans. I hope we can keep going,” reflected Hosseini.
Next up were Qatar’s Al Duhail, who had won all eight of its matches prior to the first leg of the quarter-finals, and made it nine as a 1-0 victory in Doha equaled the competition’s longest winning run. Shortly after the 30-minute mark in Tehran, it added another. What followed was one of the stories of the tournament.
Skipper Hosseini began the comeback as the hour approached before a three-minute spell saw Sultan Al Brake put into his own net and Godwin Mensha coolly dispatch the winner as, incredibly, the host shattered Al Duhail’s 10-in-a-row aspirations to progress in dramatic fashion.
While Persepolis sealed a superb 1-0 away victory against Qatar’s Al Sadd in the first leg of the semi-final, they again faced adversity when falling behind to Baghdad Bounedjah’s strike early in the second leg.
For a moment, there was an eerie silence around Azadi Stadium. But only for a moment. The capacity crowd were back in full voice almost immediately and Siamak Nemati would send them into raptures by volleying home the equalizer just after half-time.
The team spirit and a never-say-die attitude have been there for all to see in the 2018 AFC Champions League, and there is a common theme that all three players spoke of: the Azadi Stadium support, the-afc. com wrote.
With the official capacity just over 78,000, the second leg of the final will almost certainly record the biggest crowd ever at the showpiece event. Kashima may has the nice cushion of a two-goal lead, but the J.League side will enter a cauldron of noise on Saturday in the knowledge that its host will fight to the very last.
