Esteghlal draw Al Jazira

AFC – TEHRAN, Esteghlal and Al Jazira shared a point apiece as both sides hit the woodwork in a goalless draw at Azadi Stadium in Wednesday’s AFC Champions League Group A clash.

Al Jazira’s Khalid Sebil crashed a long-range effort against the bar three minutes before the break and Esteghlal’s Fabio Januario did the same from inside the box in first-half stoppage-time as honours ended even with both sides failing to take their chances.

Al Jazira had the first attempt on target after 11 minutes when Subait Khater’s free-kick from 35 yards was punched away by goalkeeper Mohammad Mohammadi.

Moments later, Esteghlal launched a swift counter-attack as Farhad Majidi ran almost the length of the pitch before finding Januario but the Brazilian’s shot deflected wide.

Al Khater again tested Mohammadi with a curling effort that the keeper palmed away and Esteghlal almost took the lead in the 20th minute when Hanif Zadeh’s long throw was flicked just the wrong side of the post by Hossein Kazemi.

Mohammadi then did excellently to turn Rafael Sobis’ powerful dipping strike over the crossbar after an Al Jazira short corner had only been partially cleared.

Ibrahim Diaky’s great ball down the right flank released Sobis and from his cross, Mohamed Sroor looked destined to score only for a fine challenge to deny the forward from close range.

Esteghlal had a great chance to open the scoring five minutes before the break when Siavash Akbarpour’s chipped ball into the box was chested down by Majidi into the path of Kazemi but the midfielder’s fierce strike from 10 yards was straight at Ali Khaseif.

The visitors then came agonisingly close to taking the lead in breathtaking fashion in the 42nd minute.

Sebil did brilliantly to slip past a challenge and advanced towards goal before unleashing a tremendous strike from 30 yards that dipped over Mohammadi at full stretch but smacked the underside of the bar and came back out.

Sroor then managed to find some space on the left of box but the Esteghlal keeper turned his shot round post and in stoppage time, before another Zadeh long throw fell to Januario but his athletic left-foot strike crashed against bar.

Chances were scarce in the second period but Januario wasted a good opportunity in the 58th minute when, following a neat one-two, he fired over from 10 yards.

Khater saw a long-range effort tipped around the post and Kazimi shot weakly when well placed after being played in by Khosro Heydari’s square ball in the 65th minute.

Kazemi had a sight of goal in injury time but his shot was well blocked in the box and Sorbis saw a shot deflected just the wrong side of the post as the Esteghlal defence backed off the Brazilian.

Esteghlal almost snatched the points when a free-kick launched into the box caused panic and the ball fell to Akbarpour three yards out but the forward contrived to hit the bar, although the linesman did have his flag up.