Marfavi set to axe Esteghlal underachievers

AFC – ABU DHABI, Esteghlal coach Samad Marfavi has warned his players he will ring the changes for the last 16 of the AFC Champions League after the Iranians suffered their first defeat in the tournament with a 2-1 loss at Al Jazira on Wednesday.

Three wins and two draws had put Esteghlal on top of Group A prior to the match and had looked like maintaining their unbeaten record when Farhad Majidi put them ahead in the 38th minute at Mohamed Bin Zayid Stadium.

However, Al Jazira fought back after the break as Saleh Bashir levelled after 51 minutes before Tariq Ahmed sealed the win for the UAE side three minutes later.

The victory was the first for Al Jazira in the tournament but was not enough to prevent them finishing bottom of the group while Esteghlal had already sealed their place in the last 16 prior to the game.

But the defeat meant they were left to rely on the result in the match between Al Ahli and Al Gharafa to discover whether they would progress as Group A winners.

However, a stoppage-time winner for Al Gharafa in that game means Esteghlal finish second in the group and consequently must travel to Saudi Arabia and play Al Shabab in the next round on May 11.

And Marfavi was left fuming after the match, insisting he will not settle for a similar performance again in the tournament.

“We came here to win all three points and remain as leaders and what we did today was not the quality that we have shown in earlier games,” he said.

“This result is not acceptable and I will be making a few changes to the team formation before we start the knock-out phase.

“We did well to score in the first half but after Al Jazira’s goal most of my players lost the plot. That allowed the opposition to control the game and they scored soon enough to take the game away.”

Al Jazira coach Abel Braga, meanwhile, hopes the victory can give his players the confidence to perform well in their domestic league, with the UAE side in hot pursuit of league leaders Al Wahda.

“It was a tough game playing against the best team in the group and they started in a good manner,” said the Brazilian.

“But at the break I just told my players to mark their playmakers and that helped us gain control.

“We made a lot of changes and fielded many new players and I am delighted with the way they performed.

“This win is a big boost for us and we will now focus on the League.”