Mansourian feeling the heat as Naft remain winless ahead of ACL clash

AFC – TEHRAN, Naft Tehran go into their 2015 AFC Champions League quarter-final with Al Ahli next week having failed to register a win in the current 2015 Persian Gulf Pro League after drawing 3-3 with Malavan on Wednesday in their final fixture before next week’s meeting with the Persian Gulf League side.

Having started the domestic campaign with draws against fellow 2015 ACL participants Tractorsazi Tabriz (0-0) and then Saba Qom (1-1), Naft went down 1-0 to Siah Jamegan last week before the six-goal thriller that, while no doubt entertaining the fans, has left head coach Alireza Mansourian (pictured) with plenty to ponder ahead of Wednesday’s continental club clash with Al Ahli.

Arash Afshin, who was part of the Iran squad that reached the quarter-finals at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, put Malavan 1-0 up from the penalty spot in the 24 minute only for defender Jalal Hosseini, a team-mate of Afshin’s in Qatar before going on to represent his country at the Asian Cup in Australia earlier this year, drew Naft level just four minutes later.

Another of Iran’s 2015 Asian Cup squad Vahid Amiry gave Naft a 2-1 lead on the hour mark and although Eazzatollah Pourghaz pulled Malavan level in the 77th minute an Abbas Bozar strike in the final minute looked to have given Naft their first win of the season and a timely boost ahead of their ACL quarter-final clash with Al Ahli.

However, three minutes into additional time at the end of the second half, Pourghaz struck again as Naft had to settle for a share of the spoils for the third time in four matches to leave Mansourian’s side tenth in the 16-team standings with just three points, six adrift of league-leaders Sepahan, who will be looking to maintain this 100% start to the season when they take on Foolad on Thursday.