AFC - Last year's AFC
Champions League runners-up Sepahan claimed their first win of this year's
continental championship on Wednesday as Seyed Mohammad Salehi and Hadi
Aghily secured a 2-1 win over Al Ittihad at the Azadi Stadium.
After a goalless first half, Salehi opened the scoring a minute before the
hour mark before Aghily doubled the lead with 19 minutes remaining.
Al Ittihad pulled a goal back with two minutes left on the watch through
Talal Al Meshal, but it came too late as the two-time AFC Champions League
winners lost their 100 percent start to the campaign.
Al Ittihad were without Saud Khariri through suspension after the midfielder
picked up his second yellow card of the competition against Syria's Al
Ittihad and injured Brazilian striker Magno Alves, who has scored the
winning goals in their first two games.
Al Ittihad began the game on top and Sepahan goalkeeper Abbas Mohammadi
denied Brazilian midfielder Tcheco after 15 minutes, while at the other end
Salehi shot straight at Taisir Al Nataif as the home side came into the
contest.
After Hossein Kazemi was denied by Al Ittihad goalkeeper Al Nataif, Mahmoud
Karimi's close range finish looked to have handed Sepahan the lead but the
goal was ruled out for offside seven minutes before the break.
As the first half drew to a close, Al Ittihad's Osama Al Harbi headed over
from Abdulrahman Al Qahtani's left wing cross.
The home side should have opened the scoring three minutes after the break
when Abdul Wahab Abolheil played a one-two with Karimi, but his well-struck
effort from inside the area was beaten away by Al Nataif.
But Sepahan finally struck when Salehi made no mistake from close range
after being picked out by Hadi Jafari's inviting cross.
Sepahan continued to dominate and crucially doubled the lead as Ehsan Hajy
Safi's cross from the right was headed home by Aghily.
The second goal sparked Al Ittihad into life and the visitors nearly pulled
a goal back three minutes later when Adnan Falatah fizzed a shot past the
right upright before Guinean striker Alhassane Keita was denied by Mohammadi
in the Sepahan goal.
The Saudi league champions continued to push for a way back into the game
but were denied with two minutes remaining as Mohammadi produced a stunning
reaction save from Keita's shot from inside the area.
However, Mohammadi was beaten just 20 seconds later when former AFC Player
of the Year Hamad Al Montashari crossed for second half substitute Al Meshal
to head home Al Ittihad's consolation.
