Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: Persepolis will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their AFC Champions League Round of 16 meeting with Al Hilal next week, but the Iranians had goalkeeper Sousha Makani to thank for keeping them in the tie at a packed Azadi Stadium on Tuesday.
An own goal from Digao in stoppage time gave Persepolis the win but it Makani’s heroics that kept out an Al Hilal side that had struggled in the opening 45 minutes before creating the best of the opportunities after the interval.
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The finest came three minutes from time when Makani dived full stretch to his right to push Nawaf Al Abid’s goal-bound free kick to safety before Brazilian defender Digao slipped Mehdi Taremi’s cross over the line to give Persepolis the advantage ahead of the second leg.
Persepolis had narrowly shaded a tight first half that ended scoreless despite Al Hilal putting the ball in the net in the 28th minute.
Salem Al Dawsari’s effort – when the ball hit him and crossed the line after an attempted clearance by the Persepolis defence – was ruled out by Malaysian referee Mohamed Nagir Amir Noor and it was the closest last year’s beaten finalists came to a clear-cut opportunity in the opening 45 minutes.
The Iranians, meanwhile, could do little more than carve out half-chances. Ali Alipour’s curling effort from inside the Al Hilal penalty area was off target in the 18th minute while another attempt by Alipour – this time from long range seven minutes before the break– flew over the bar.
With two minutes of the half remaining, Hadi Norozi should have done better when a mistimed header by Digao saw the ball drop at his feet, but his weak shot barely trickled through to goalkeeper Khalid Sharahili.
Persepolis continued to push early in the second half and Norozi unleashed an effort that stung the palms of Sharahili in the 53rd minute, but from there on Al Hilal looked the more likely to score.
Al Abid’s effort five minutes later was well saved by Makani, but the rebound fell to Yousef Al Salem only for his through-ball to be scooped over the bar by Salem Al Dawsari.
With 11 minutes remaining, Al Abid’s free kick was headed goalwards by Al Salem but Makani was again equal to the task while, eight minutes later, he pulled out a fine save to redirect Al Abid’s free kick wide for a corner.
Soon after Al Hilal were reduced to 10 men when Salman Al Faraj was sent off for a professional foul and, with the game deep into stoppage time, the Iranians took the win when Digao pushed Taremi’s ball over the line to send the capacity crowd into raptures.
Photo: WSG