ACL MD4: Al Ahli ties Sepahan [video]

AFC – DUBAI, Emirati side Al Ahli and Iran’s Sepahan shared a goalless draw on Tuesday which left both sides disappointed but equally still in contention for a place in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League.

Sepahan’s Mehdi Sharifi had the best chance to break the deadlock at Rashid Stadium as the visiting striker crashed a strike into the woodwork just after half-time as the former finalists looked to bounce back from last month’s 2-1 home defeat by Al Ahli.

Al Ahli remain undefeated in Group D, although they have yet to win at home in the AFC Champions League this season having shared a 2-2 draw with Qatar’s Al Sadd last month.

Sepahan next entertain 2011 champions Al Sadd in two weeks, while Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal make the trip to Dubai for the penultimate round of group stage fixtures.

Neither side were able to take control of the contest in the early exchanges as Sepahan’s Sharifi curling an effort just wide of Ahmed Ashoori’s left-hand post from the edge of the area.

Al Ahli did create chances of their own in a tight first half as Ciel and Grafite went close, although a concern for the home side was an injury to Luis Jimenez with the midfielder forced off before half-time.

Having went close in the first half for Sepahan, Sharifi was inches away from a breakthrough less than five minutes into the second half as the striker rattled the Al Ahli crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

But despite the best efforts of both sides, neither goalkeeper found themselves tested in the closing stages and the points were shared.