Sepahan eliminated AFC Champions League Two 2025/26

Qatar’s Al Ahli SC edged Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan SC of Islamic Republic of Iran 1-0 in extra time on Wednesday to book their spot in the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26™ quarter-finals, AFC  reported.

Sepahan thought they had taken the lead in the seventh minute when Kaveh Rezaei powered a header past Marwan Sherif from a Mehdi Lamouchi cross but the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR review.

Technology also came to the rescue of Sepahan nine minutes later, ruling that Ehsan Hajisafi’s foul on Robin Tihi was not sufficient to be punished with a penalty after referee Ryo Tanimoto had initially pointed to the spot.

Superb defensive action at both ends of the pitch ensured it remained goalless at the break as Sepahan goalkeeper Seyedhossein Hosseini clawed away Ahmad Reyad’s shot right on the goal line while William Ekong stuck out a right leg to block Arash Rezavand’s close range strike.

After the interval, Sepahan were close to the opener on the hour mark when Ricardo Alves dispossessed Sekou Yansane on the halfway line and then sent Rezaei through on goal with the latter’s curler unlucky to only clip to edge of the crossbar.

Erik Exposito, who had been peripheral for most of the match, found space in the 72nd minute to fire a shot from outside the box that took a slight deflection but was matched by an even better save from Hosseini at full stretch.

Despite the best efforts of both sides, there was no breakthrough as the match went into extra time.

It only took one minute into extra-time for the deadlock to be broken as Mohammad Daneshgar’s miscued header inadvertently sent Yansane through on the goal, with the French forward making no mistake in slotting past Hosseini.

Sepahan’s best chance of forcing the tie into a penalty shootout was through a Daneshgar half-volley in the 107th minute which Sherif claimed as Al Ahli held on to advance.

MNA