Iranian Reds take on Al Jazira in must-win ACL tie
Persepolis will need to overhaul a 3-2 AFC Champions League Round of 16 first leg deficit against Al Jazira when the sides face off in the second leg at Azadi Stadium today.
Ali Alipour gave the Iranian side the lead in Abu Dhabi last week but goals from Ali Mabkhout and Romarinho swung the tie in the Emirati team’s favor, the-afc.com reported.
Godwin Mensha equalized from the spot but a 96th-minute winner from Khalifa al Hammadi means Al Jazira travels to Iran with a one-goal lead to defend.
Persepolis, which welcomes captain Seyyed Jalal Hosseini back from suspension, boasts a perfect record on home soil this year and, in recent history, has twice beaten Emirati oppositions at Azadi Stadium, seeing off Al Wahda 4-2 in the 2017 group stage and Al Wasl 2-0 in Group D of this year’s campaign.
The visitor, meanwhile, has drawn two and lost one of its past three trips to Iran and has suffered just one loss on the road during this campaign. If Al Jazira avoids defeat today, it will progress to a maiden quarterfinal on the continent.
‘No easy opposition’
Persepolis’s head coach Branko Ivankovic said his team will only be seeking victory and a place in the next round, going into today’s game.
“Al Jazira showed its quality in the first leg but tomorrow’s game is a new one and we will be playing in front of thousands of our fans,” the Croatian said in the pre-match press conference on Sunday.
“There is no weak team in the Asian Champions League and you can’t afford to underestimate any opponent in the competition,” Ivankovic – who is seeking his second successive quarterfinal with the Iranian champion – added.
Persepolis will have to do without holding midfielders Kamal Kamyabinia and Mohsen Rabikhah due to injury.