Sepahan sanctioned in ACL

GOAL – KUALA LUMPUR, The Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Disciplinary Committee has handed down a 3-0 defeat to Iranian champions Sepahan in their AFC Champions League quarter-final first leg for fielding an ineligible player.

The two clubs are due to meet in the second leg in Doha on Wednesday. However, the AFC’s decision, which was made on Monday, changes the playing field after Sepahan had originally won the first leg 1-0 a fortnight ago.

Goalkeeper Rahman Ahmadi, who joined Sepahan from Persepolis in the Iranian close season, was the player in question. He played the full game in the first leg but had received two yellow cards earlier in the competition while playing with Persepolis.

Persepolis were eliminated in the group stage and Ahmadi didn’t play in Sepahan’s Round of 16 game against Bunyodkor but according to AFC regulations the suspension should have been served in the quarter-final first leg.

In addition to the change in scoreline, Ahmadi has now been suspended for the return leg while the club has been fined €750.

The AFC have made it clear that Sepahan have the right to appeal the sanction within three days of the decision.