ACL 2017 MD5 – Group A: Esteghlal Tehran 1-1 Al Ahli (UAE) [VIDEO]
Ahmed Khalil (C) of UAE's Al-Ahli FC fights for the ball against Leandro Padovani of Iran's Esteghlal FC during their AFC Champions League qualifying football match between UAE's Al-Ahli and Iran's Esteghlal FC at Al-Rashid Stadium in Dubai on February 20, 2017. / AFP / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)
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Loading...AFC – TEHRAN, A 1-1 draw between Esteghlal of Islamic Republic of Iran and Emirati side Al Ahli on Tuesday saw both sides move to the brink of qualification from Group A of the AFC Champions League.
Visitors Al Ahli took a 17th minute lead in the clash at a packed Azadi Stadium, with Abdulaziz Sanqour placing the ball into the net after a neat header from striker Ahmed Khalil found him unmarked in the area.
On the half-hour mark, though, only a fine low save by Majed Naser in the Ahli net prevented a Yaghoub Karimi free-kick from levelling the tie.
In the 58th minute, Esteghlal’s pressure finally told as a quick throw released Khosro Heydari whose lobbed cross was headed home by striker Kaveh Rezaei.
With neither side then able to find a winner, both teams now lie on eight points with one Group A game remaining – three points clear of both Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun and Uzbekistan’s Lokomotiv.
