Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Iranian giants Piroozi broke their own AFC Champions League attendance record when an incredible 96,200 spectators turned up at the Azadi Stadium for Tuesday's Matchday 4 meeting with Al Gharafa.
The figure, which represents 96% of the capacity of the Azadi, beat the previous mark of 95, 225 set when Piroozi lost 1-0 to Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor in the 2009 ACL Round of 16 clash at the same venue.
Unfortunately for the majority of the Piroozi fans that showed up for the ACL 2012 Matchday 4 game, they were unable to celebrate confirmation of a place in the last 16 of this year's competition as Lawrence Quaye's stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out Ali Karimi's 84th minute strike to deny the nine-time Iranian champions' the win that would have guaranteed one of the two knockout stage berths from Group D.
Piroozi, winners of the inaugural Asian Cup Winners' Cup back in 1991, will look to seal progression on Matchday 5 when they take on two-time Asian Club Championship winners Al Hilal in a clash of two continental club titans that is almost certain to see the Azadi Stadium filled to the brim yet again.
Photo: AFP