Beiranvand showed that in the second leg of the semi-final against Qatar's Al Sadd.

The score was 1-1 with just four minutes to go, a goal for Al Sadd would have effectively taken them to the AFC Champions League final at the expense of Persepolis. The ball was crossed for Spanish legend Xavi, who was left with a free header from just seven yards.

Nine times out of then, this play would have resulted a goal, but as the 81,000 fans present at Azadi Stadiums fell to complete silence, the Persepolis goalkeeper had different ideas. Beiranvand produced an impossible reflex save to tip Xavi’s header behind and rescue his team.

Coming back from two goals down in a semi-final is an impressive feat in itself, but doing so twice over two legs, as Japan's Kashima did against Korea Republic's Suwon Samsung Bluewings, requires an impressive degree of mental resilience and self-belief - a quality needed at the highest level of the Continental game.

And, indeed, it is this quality that Japan international Doi insists has helped a battle-hardened Kashima side reach their maiden AFC Champions League final.

Ahead of the first of two meetings between the best clubs in the East and West of the continent, the-AFC.com kicks off our build-up to the final with a look at some of the key Persepolis players, who could be the ones to watch at Kashima Soccer Stadium on November 3.

Ahead of the first of two meetings between the best clubs in the East and West of the continent, the-AFC.com kicks off our build-up to the final with a look at some of the key Kashima players, who could be the ones to watch at Kashima Soccer Stadium on November 3.

It will be Persepolis FC's first AFC Champions League final and a meeting to discuss the organisation of the second leg at the Azadi Stadium was held at the Sports and Youth Ministry on Saturday.

Present at the meeting were Mehdi Taj, the President of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran, representatives of the Development and Equipment Company, Tehran Prosecutor, Customs and various other agencies.

Nemati was the hero at Azadi Stadium on Tuesday as the midfielder volleyed home an equaliser early in the second half to level the scores at 1-1 on the night and, after the Tehran side won the first leg 1-0, his strike proved enough to secure a place in the final against Japan’s Kashima Antlers.

Persepolis will be the first Iranian team to appear in the final since Zobahan in 2010, while Sepahan also played in the showpiece event in 2007, but both sides suffered defeats and, with the competition now in its 16th edition, the Islamic Republic of Iran is still seeking its first title.