Al Jazira 2-0 Tractorsazi

AFC – ABU DHABI, Ricardo Oliveira and Subait Khater scored as Al Jazira posted a first win in the AFC Champions League this season after edging out Iran’s Tractorsazi Tabriz 2-0 on Wednesday although it was not enough to keep the UAE Pro League side in the hunt for a second consecutive appearance in the last 16.

Last season’s AFC Champions League top scorer Oliveira took advantage of an error from Tractorsazi’s Mehdi Karimian to open the scoring after just seven minutes at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium.

And after Tractorsazi’s Mehdi Sayed-Salehi wasted a number of chances to keep the AFC Champions League debutants in the hunt for the last 16, Khater netted an eye-catching second in stoppage time as Al Jazira remained three points behind Qatar’s El Jaish in Group A with one game remaining.

But with El Jaish beating Al Shabab 3-0 in Doha, the Qatari side secured qualification to the last 16 alongside the Saudi champions due to a superior head-to-head advantage over Al Jazira.

With Al Jazira needing to win to keep their slim qualification hopes alive, the home side enjoyed the ideal start after seven minutes as Oliveira intercepted an attempted backpass from Karimian before coolly lifting the ball over Tractorsazi goalkeeper Mehdi Sabeti on the edge of the penalty area and rolling the ball into the unguarded net.

Tractorsazi, though, should have pulled back on level terms in the second half as Sayed-Salehi first saw an acrobatic effort hit the crossbar.

The visitors knew at least a point would set-up a showdown with El Jaish next week for a place in the last 16 and Sayed-Salehi should have equalised with 12 minutes remaining but the striker directed an unmarked header wide with the goal at his mercy.

And in the first minute of added time, substitute Khater unleashed an unstoppable angled half volley to seal the win for Al Jazira.