ACL MD 4: Iran’s Zob Ahan Needs One Point to Qualify for Next Stage
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Zob Ahan kept its place at the top of the 2019 AFC Champions League Group A with a comfortable 2-0 victory over UAE’s Al Wasl in Isfahan’s Foolad Shahr on Tuesday.
Zob Ahan had brushed aside Al Wasl 3-1 in Dubai two weeks ago and was sitting top of the group with seven points going into Matchday Four.
The Iranian side wasted no time in getting into the thick of the action, opening the scoring 90 seconds into the game.
Ghasem Hadadifar dispossessed young Al Wasl defender Faris Khalil deep in his area and supplied the ball to Mohammad Reza Hosseini down the right. Hosseini’s cross was flicked on by Amir Arsalan Motahari for Alireza Cheraghali who was free at the far post and applied the finish to give the host an early lead.
Motahari turned from creator to scorer as he bagged Zob Ahan’s second goal of the night in the 15th minute.
Hamid Maleki delivered a curling cross from the left flank and Motahari headed it from a narrow angle, beating the goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
The victory means Zob Ahan needs just one point from their remaining two games to qualify to the Round of 16 for the third time in four years.
Al Wasl’s position is further complicated with the defeat, but it remains in contention should it win the rest of their matches and other results go its way.
