Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The-AFC.com has announced that Persepolis' Ahmad Nourollahi is the winner of this week’s Goal of the Week presented by Allianz for the second leg of the 2018 AFC Champions League Round of 16 after over 650,000 votes were received, the biggest yet on the AFC’s official website.
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: 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
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.