AFC - Substitute Mehdi Zobeidi headed home a late equaliser as Esteghlal Khouzestan claimed a 1-1 draw with Al Jazira on Tuesday and progressed to the 2017 AFC Champions League Round of 16 as Group B runners-up.
Esteghlal Khouzestan needed just a point to advance to the knockout round, but Humaid Ahmed gave the visitors the lead shortly before the interval at Ghadir Stadium 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.
The hosts came back strongly after the restart but Ali Khaseif proved hard to beat in the Al Jazira goal until, with just four minutes remaining, Zobeidi rose highest to head home Hassan Beit Saeid’s cross from the right.
With table-toppers Lekhwiya seeing off third-placed Al Fateh 4-1 in the other Group B game of the night, Esteghlal Khouzestan, who will next play Group D winners Al Hilal in the last 16, would have advanced regardless of the outcome. Al Jazira, meanwhile, finished bottom of the standings.