With goals, saves and assists by the hatful, Asia’s stars outside the continent continued their fine form with several fine performances in Europe.
Mehdi Taremi (FC Porto, Iran)
34 minutes, 1 goal, 3 shots at goal (1-3 v Santa Clara)
75 minutes, 2 assists, 88% pass accuracy (4-1 v Boavista)
Even when he doesn’t start, and even when Porto isn’t at its best, bank on Mehdi Taremi to leave his mark on a football match.
He scored to give his side a fighting chance in its eventual League Cup defeat to Santa Clara, then set up two goals against Alireza Beiranvand’s Boavista in another outstanding week for the Iranian striker.
Sardar Azmoun (Zenit, Iran)
90 minutes, 1 assist, 81% pass accuracy, 14 duels won (4-1 v Dinamo Moscow)
Taremi’s national team strike partner, Sardar Azmoun, continued his own stellar form in Europe, although his contribution this week was as a provider rather than scorer of goals, playing a pivotal role as Zenit cruised past Dinamo Moscow in the Russian Premier League.
Allahyar Sayyadmanesh (Zorya Luhansk, Iran)
78 minutes, 2 goals, 2 secondary assists, 83% pass accuracy (6-1 Metalist Kharkiv)
With four goals in three matches over 11 days, Allahyar Sayyadmenesh is rapidly turning from star of the future to star of the present.
The 20-year-old scored twice, including an unstoppable second-half thunderbolt, as Zorya piled on six against Metalist Kharkiv ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Europa Conference League clash with CSKA Sofia.