Persepolis’ Bengar Back for Top-Of-The-Table Clash

AFC – DOHA, New Persepolis coach Branko Ivankovic will welcome back midfielders Mohsen Bengar and Mohammad Nori from suspension as the Tehran giants aim to book their place in the Round of 16 in the 2015 AFC Champions League against newly crowned Qatari champions Lekhwiya on Wednesday.

Persepolis lead Group A by two points from the Qatari side, who secured the Qatar Stars League title on Thursday with a 5-0 win over Al Siliya, and a draw would be enough to ensure the Iranians advance.

Former Iran coach Ivankovic, who took the nation to the FIFA World Cup finals in 2006, will be in charge for his first AFC Champions League fixture after caretaker manager Hossein Abdi led the team to a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr on Matchday Four.

“The match will be very important for the two teams as it is between the top two in the group,” said Ivankovic, who saw his team lose to Sepahan in the Iranian league at the weekend.

“What makes it hard for us is that we are playing against a team who recently won the league and they will have great motivation in the match.

“We respect our opponents but at the same time we have a good side and we want to continue on top of the group which is our main target. I hope that the two teams will give good performances and qualify together from the group because they deserve it.”

Persepolis have nine points from their opening four games with Lekhwiya on seven, two ahead of Al Nassr while Pakhtakor are already eliminated on just a solitary point.

Victory would also seal a place in the knockout rounds for the Qataris, and coach Michael Laudrup is aiming to avenge his side’s 3-0 loss in Tehran on Matchday One.

“The match against Persepolis will not be easy for the two sides,” said the Dane. “We will face a strong team who defeated us in Iran and we will try to avenge this defeat and qualify to the knockout stage.

“We will approach our target step-by-step and we should not look further than the match tomorrow. Our main target is to win tomorrow and from then on we can continue planning towards a good campaign.”