Persepolis and Al Hilal’s opposing styles evened things out

AFC – MUSCAT, Persepolis and Al Hilal’s 2017 AFC Champions League meeting in Muscat on Tuesday saw the clash of two sides with vastly opposing styles end in deadlock with a 1-1 draw. Table-toppers in their respective leagues, both sides move on with confidence following 90 minutes where both sides will feel they executed their tactical plans to perfection.

Saudi-side Al Hilal sought to impose themselves from the start, dominating possession from the start to end with 58.6% of the ball over the course of the tie. The Blue Wave spent a lot of the match in the front foot, attempting 18 crosses to their opponents’ six and carving out the clearer of the game’s opportunities.

However, for all of Al Hilal’s dominance of the ball it was their Iranian rivals who looked set for the win until Carlos Eduardo’s late headed intervention. Playing on the counterattack throughout, Persepolis created more shooting chances than their rivals over the course of the 90 minutes and got three shots on target to their rivals’ two. Branko Ivankovic will surely be delighted with his side’s excellent use of their limited possession.

Particularly important to the team were Mohsin Mosalman (pictured right) and Ramin Rezaeian on either side of the midfield diamond. With Kamaledin Kamyabinia holding at the base of midfield, the duo were expected to provide additional defensive cover while also shuttling forward to support the side’s attacking trio when possible.

It was a responsibility they managed to execute to perfection, with Mosalman pushing forward more to eventually score his side’s one goal on the night having previously gone close. Rezaeian, meanwhile, was the side’s defensive enforcer with his tally of four tackles more than any of the game’s other participants. With Hilal threatening to pin their opponents back, the duo’s energy was crucial to Persepolis maintaining an attacking threat throughout.

The duo’s role was particularly important given their opponents’ determination to push their full-backs forward to support the attack. Both Yasir Al Shahrani (left) and Mohammed Al-Burayk (right) were integral to Hilal’s attempts to make the pitch as wide as possible in their build up play in order to create space for their attacking team-mates. Only midfielder Salman Al Faraj (99) enjoyed more touches of the ball than Al-Burayk (96) and Al Shahrani (98) on the night.

Both Mosalman and Rezaeian, then, were particularly important in providing protection to their defence with Al Hilal’s trio of creative players behind the striker seeking to utilise the space created by their advanced full-backs. The duo’s diligent support for Kamyabinia saw their direct opponents’ contributions limited, with Carlos Eduardo, Nawaf Al Abid and Nicolas Milesi limited to just two shots from open play over the 90 minutes.

By allowing Al Hilal into wide areas and crowding the centre of the park, Persepolis were able to comfortably negate their opponents as an attacking threat for long periods of the game. It was then up to Mosalman in particular, as the more offensive of the duo, to lead the charge forward on his side’s behalf. With 45.8% of his passes heading in a forward direction, Mosalman was the most vertical of his side’s midfield players while maintaining a pass completion percentage of 79.2%. His forward drive eventually led to his 68th minute drive giving Persepolis the lead heading into the game’s final stages.

While his side were eventually able to equalise, Al Hilal coach Ramon Diaz will be disappointed with the ease Persepolis were able to restrict the number of clear opportunities. With the exception of a header from a free-kick shortly before half-time, Hilal were largely unable to carve out clear cut chances prior to their 82nd minute equaliser. Having reached the knockout stages in each of the last eight editions of the tournament, they will once more be among the fancied sides this year but will need to offer more in attack than they showed on this occasion if they are to go deep in this edition of the competition.