Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tehran: Mame Thiam has insisted that Esteghlal are aiming for a spot in the 2018 AFC Champions League final after the striker’s treble in the 3-1 Round of 16 second leg win over fellow Iranian side Zobahan on Tuesday saw them advance to the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate.
The Tehran side conceded in added time in last week’s first leg as a 1-0 defeat in Isfahan left them with plenty to do at Azadi Stadium, where more than 75,000 fans generated a fantastic atmosphere at the Islamic Republic of Iran’s national stadium.
Thiam put the hosts in front from the spot shortly after the 10-minute mark to level the tie on aggregate, before the Senagalese forward’s stunning left-foot effort from distance put them 2-0 on the night four minutes before the interval.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tehran: A Mame Thiam hat-trick earned Esteghlal the final West Asia AFC Champions League quarter-final ticket as they defeated fellow Islamic Republic of Iran side Zobahan 3-1 in Tuesday's second leg, securing a 3-2 aggregate win.
After a tense start, Esteghlal were awarded a penalty kick inside 11 minutes and Senegalese forward Thiam fired from the spot into the bottom left corner, taking the tie back to square one.
Hamid Bouhamdan came close to levelling the score for Zobahan in the 29th minute but his shot from the left cannoned off the woodwork.
As the first half neared its end, Thiam was on target again, this time from outside the box as he curled a left-footed effort that left goalkeeper Mohammad Rashid Mazaheri helpless to put Esteghlal in front four minutes before the break.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tehran: Persepolis captain Seyed Jalal Hosseini has admitted that his side faced a tough obstacle in Al Jazira in the AFC Champions League Round of 16 as the defender’s last-minute strike in Monday’s second leg secured a 2-1 win on the night to advance on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate scoreline.
After a 96th-minute Al Jazira goal saw the Emirati side claim a 3-2 win in the first leg in Abu Dhabi last week, Persepolis went into the return meeting needing a win to have any chance of progressing to the quarter-finals for the second successive year.
The hosts dominated but had to wait until just after the hour to take the lead through Ahmad Nourollahi’s stunning effort from distance, only for Brazilian Romarinho to level and silence a packed Azadi Stadium shortly after.
But Persepolis kept pushing forward and eventually got the winner their performance deserved when Hosseini, who was suspended for the first leg, fired home from 15 yards after Al Jazira had failed to clear a delivery from the left.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tehran: Head coach Carlos Queiroz has revealed his 35-man preliminary squad as Islamic Republic of Iran gear up for the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018.
Dutch Eredivisie top scorer Alireza Jahanbakhsh heads the bill as Team Melli, Asia's top ranked team, get set for playing in back-to-back FIFA World Cups for the first time in their history.
Steven Beitashour, who has not appeared for his country since Brazil 2014, earns the opportunity to make the final squad, while U-20 World Cup captain Omid Norafkan is also presented with the chance to prove himself, alongside uncapped Esteghlal teammate Majid Hosseini.
Sardar Azmoun’s inclusion also means the striker is set to face off against Spain in the Kazan Arena, where he plays his club football with Rubin Kazan. Iran will also face European champions Portugal and Morocco in Group B.
Squad - Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Seyed Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal), Rashid Mazaheri (Zob Ahan), Amir Abedzadeh (Maritimo, Portugal);
Defenders: Ramin Rezaeian (Ostende, Belgium), Voria Ghafouri (Esteghlal), Steven Beitashour (Los Angeles FC, USA), Seyed Jalal Hosseini (Persepolis), Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Padideh), Morteza Pouraliganji (Alsaad, Qatar), Mohammad Ansari (Persepolis), Pejman Montazeri (Esteghlal), Seyed Majid Hosseini (Esteghlal), Milad Mohammadi (Akhmat Grozny, Russia), Omid Norafkan (Esteghlal), Saeid AGhaei (Sepahan), Roozbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal);
Midfielders: Saeid Ezatolahi (Amkar Perm, Russia), Masoud Shojaei (AEK Athens, Greece), Ahmad Abdolahzadeh (Foolad), Saman Ghoddos (Ostersunds, Sweden), Mahdi Torabi (Saipa), Ashkan Dejagah (Notthingham Forest, England), Omid Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), Ehsan Hajsafi (Olympiacos, Greece), Ali Karimi (Sepahan), Soroush Rafiei (Al Khor, Qatar), Ali Gholizadeh (Saipa), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis);
Forwards: Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Karim Ansarifard (Olympiacos, Greece), Mahdi Taremi (Al Gharafa, Qatar), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Heerenveen, Netherlands), Kaveh Rezaei (Charleroi, Belgium).
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tehran: Seyed Jalal Hosseini's 89th minute strike gave Persepolis a 2-1 win over Al Jazira in the second leg of their 2018 AFC Champions League Round of 16 tie on Monday, with Persepolis advancing to the quarter-finals on away goals after the tie ended 4-4 on aggregate.
Al Jazira survived 45 minutes of one-way traffic as Persepolis set up shop at their visitors’ end of the pitch in pursuit of an early leveller.
Despite the pressure, the Iranians could only muster a weak header from Siamak Nemati that was saved by goalkeeper Ali Khaseif and an effort from Farshad Ahmadzadeh that missed the target by a small margin as the two sides headed into the break level.
The home side finally found a breakthrough in the 63rd minute after a well-worked attacking move saw Ahmadzadeh lay-off a pass for Ahmad Nourollahi who struck with venom from 25 yards out into the top corner to put Persepolis in front.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Jeddah: 2018 AFC Champions League leading scorer Baghdad Bounedjah is relieved that missed chances did not come back to haunt Al Sadd after the Round of 16 win over Al Ahli on Monday.
Algerian striker Baghdad Bounedjah was again the man of the hour for Qatar's Al Sadd. In their Round of 16 second leg against Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli, the 26-year-old netted his eighth and ninth goals of the 2018 AFC Champions League to ensure a 2-2 draw on the night and a 4-3 aggregate win for Al Sadd.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Jeonju: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors head coach Choi Kang-hee has admitted that it is first mission accomplished after Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over Buriram United in the AFC Champions League Round of 16 second leg saw his side advance to the quarter-finals as 4-3 aggregate winners.
The two-time continental champions lost the first leg 3-2 in Thailand but Son Jun-ho’s stoppage-time away goal had left the K League 1 side in a strong position ahead of the reverse fixture at Jeonju World Cup Stadium.
Ricardo Lopes volleyed home a superb opener inside 20 minutes to ease any nerves on Tuesday and, after dominating the game, Lee Jae-sung curled in a fabulous free-kick with six minutes remaining as Jeonbuk sealed a 2-0 victory to return to the last eight.