ACL MD4: Tractorsazi Tabriz ties Al Ain [video]

AFC – TABRIZ, Iran’s Tractorsazi Tabriz and Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates shared an enthralling back-and-forth 2-2 draw in their AFC Champions League match in Group C at Tabriz’s Yadegar Emam Stadium on Tuesday.

The Emirati side arrived in Iran as group leaders, but it was Tractorsazi who opened the scoring on 20 minutes via the head of Saeed Daghighi and they kept the lead until the half-time interval.

But in the second half the game witnessed a breathless six minute spell of goals as Al Ain first levelled through Asamoah Gyan on 54 minutes, went ahead five minutes later through Mohammed Abdulrahman, and then were pegged back by Farshad Ahmadzadeh’s spectacular equaliser on the hour mark.

Table-topping Al Ain remain two points clear of Tractorsazi and Qatar’s Lekhwiya, although last year’s quarter-finalists face Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

The game began at a furious pace with the home side urged on by their loud and passionate supporters and barely midway through the half their fervor was rewarded with the opener.

Habib Gordani whipped in an outswinging corner from the left that was met by a flying header from Daghigi that cannoned into the roof of the net and left goalkeeper Khalid Eisa with no chance.

And on the stroke of half-time home town favourite Karim Ansarifard went close to doubling the lead as he was sent clear by Gordani but his shot with the outside of his right boot was well saved by Eisa.

After the interval Al Ain, who had few chances of note in the first period, came out far more positively and on 52 minutes went close through Ismail Ahmed as the defender put his header from Omar Abdulrahman’s corner narrowly wide.

But just two minutes later Omar Abdulrahman got his assist with a deep cross from the left flank to find Gyan running through the middle and he headed down and past Tractorsazi custodian Hamed Lak for the equaliser.

Al Ain’s joy was doubled a minute before the hour mark when Omar Abdulrahman once more had time and space to deliver a ball into the area and this time found his namesake Mohammed Abdulrahman who steered past Lak to put the visitors ahead.

The double salvo had silenced the vociferous Tractorsazi fans but they became a cauldron of noise once more just a minute later as Ahmadzadeh darted into the penalty area from the right side, stepped outside the challenge of Fares Jumas, and rifled a left-footed shot into the top corner that gave Eisa no chance at his near post.

A shell-shocked Al Ain did try to regain their short-lived lead and on 73 minutes went close through a powerful downward header from Gyan that required an extraordinary save from Lak, diving full-length to his right to deny the Ghanaian forward a second.

And although the crowd in Tabriz bayed for more goals from their side, the match ended in a draw for both sides that could send Group C going down to the wire.