Two More Iranian Teams Advance to ACL Round of 16

Iranian football teams Esteghlal Tehran and Esteghlal Khuzestan booked Round of 16 spots in the AFC Champions League.

Iranian team Esteghlal Tehran defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun 2-1 to advance to the Round of 16 of the 2017 AFC Champions League on Tuesday.

Al Taawoun needed to win to have any chance of advancing into the knockout rounds, but fell behind to a Jaber Ansari goal 19 minutes into the game.

Mohammed Al Saiari levelled the for the Saudis in the 36th minute before Rezaei claimed the winner, which takes Esteghlal into the next phase of the competition – where it will meet Al Ain – alongside group winner Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates, Tasnim reported.

Iran’s Esteghlal Khuzestan also advanced to the 2017 AFC Champions League Round of 16 as Group B runner-up.

The Iranian team drew 1-1 with Al Jazira of the UAE in Ahvaz’s Ghadir Stadium.

Humaid Ahmed gave the visiting team the lead shortly before the interval when he found the back of the net from outside the area to give the bottom side hope of a first win of the campaign.

With just four minutes remaining, substitute Mehdi Zobeidi rose highest to head home Hassan Beit Saeid’s cross from the right.

Table-topper Lekhwiya of Qatar defeated third-placed Al Fateh 4-1 in the other Group B game of the night.

Esteghlal Khuzestan football team will next play Group D winner Al Hilal in the last 16.

IFP Editorial Staff

The IFP Editorial Staff is composed of dozens of skilled journalists, news-writers, and analysts whose works are edited and published by experienced editors specialized in Iran News. The editor of each IFP Service is responsible for the report published by the Iran Front Page (IFP) news website, and can be contacted through the ways mentioned in the "IFP Editorial Staff" section.