Esteghlal are alive in the tournament again: Montazeri
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Loading...AFC – DOHA, Veteran defender Pejman Montazeri was on the scoresheet as Esteghlal FC defeated Al Hilal SFC 2-1 on Monday, and the 36-year-old said the victory has brought renewed hope for the 2019 AFC Champions League campaign.
A recent poor run that included a defeat to bitter rivals Persepolis was not the ideal preparation for a difficult-looking Group C clash against Saudi Arabia powerhouse Al Hilal, but Tehran giants Esteghlal rose to the occasion to secure a priceless win – their first of the 2019 edition – and stay in contention in the race for the Round 16.
In what has been considered among the most difficult groups in the AFC Champions League this year – featuring three former continental champions in Al Ain, Al Hilal and Esteghlal, along with a team full of 2019 AFC Asian Cup winners in Al Duhail – Montazeri was in no doubt to the importance of the result.
“We feel like we are alive in the tournament again,” said the IR Iran international. “We knew it was going to be a tough, important game because they are the team at the top of the group and we really needed these three points.
“Actually, we expected this game to be so intense, and so we played with full concentration from the first minute until the 90th.
“They are really good. Congratulations to the Al Hilal team for a great match.
“They played very well and they have many very good players, but this is football.”
“Thanks God we got the win. But this is just the beginning for us, we’re now looking forward to the games to come and let’s see how things go.”
With four points on the board, Esteghlal are level with second placed Al Duhail, who have a superior head-to-head record, and two further behind front-runners Al Hilal, who they will face in the return meeting in Abu Dhabi on April 23.
