Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Tabriz: A penalty from Madjid Bougherra was the difference as Qatar’s Lekhwiya edged out Tractorsazi Tabriz 1-0 in the AFC Champions League on Tuesday in a game which will be largely remembered for a second half hailstorm which suspended play for over half an hour.
The match had kicked off amid heavy rain, but the weather significantly worsened shortly after half-time and play was postponed as the teams ran for cover.
But after a 35 minute delay, play resumed and Bougherra converted a 70th minute penalty as 2013 quarter-finalists Lekhwiya claimed a third place finish in Group C ahead of their hosts.
Although Tabriz began the first period on top, both they and their opponents struggled to create opportunities in front of goal with the slick conditions underfoot not conducive to flowing football.
When chances did threaten to break through the close-fought contest, the absence of key strikers – the suspended Karim Ansarifard for Tabriz and Lekhwiya’s Sebastian Soria – meant there was a distinct lack of composure in front of goal in the first half.
When Tabriz did press it was midfielder Meisam Baeoudizabadi that was often the key figure they looked to, while forward Youssef Msakni was the main outlet for Lekhwiya.
But despite all their industry, the scores were level at half-time as the rain continued to pour down and grew to a deluge.
And 10 minutes into the second half the rain took a turn for the worse and a hailstorm forced referee Wang Di to call a suspension of play as the teams sought cover.
After 35 minutes the hail abated enough for play to be resumed with the match continuing from the 56th minute.
And action picked up after the restart and striker Saeid Daghighi had Tabriz’s best effort of the match on 67 minutes as he was played in by Farshad Ahmadzadeh and flashed a shot narrowly wide of Claude Amine’s left-hand post.
But just three minutes later, and against the run of play, the visitors took the lead as Msakni burst into the left-hand side of the penalty area only to be brought down by Tabriz captain Morteza Asadi.
And Bougherra coolly side-footed into the bottom right hand corner, sending goalkeeper Davoud Noushi the wrong way.
Tabriz coach Toni Oliveira promptly responded by throwing on another forward in the form of Peiman Babaei for defender Masoud Ebrahimzadeh, but it was Baeoudizabadi who was next to go closet to restoring parity, driving a shot into the side-netting and then heading over from close range.
With four minutes remaining, Mohammad Mehrazma’s pull-back from the right flank caused panic in the visitor’s penalty area and it was the substitute Babaei who strode forward only to see his shot deflected narrowly over Amine’s crossbar.
With the resulting corner coming to nothing, Lekhwiya were able to hold out for the remaining minutes and take home all three points from a sodden Yadegar Emam Stadium.