AFC - Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal came back from going a goal behind to notch up a 2-1 first-leg win over Iran’s Esteghlal Khouzestan in the Round of 16 in the 2017 AFC Champions League on Tuesday.
Hassan Beit Saeid gave the Iranian team – who were designated the home side for the first-leg despite the game being played in Oman – the lead three minutes before the halftime break, only for goals from Abdullah Al Dossary and Carlos Eduardo within six second-half minutes to earn Al Hilal an advantage ahead of the second-leg.
Esteghlal Khouzestan had shaded the opening exchanges and took the lead in the 42nd minute when Peyman Shirzadi crossed from the left and Beit Saeid nodded the ball beyond Abdullah Al Muaiouf in the Al Hilal goal.
But Al Dossary’s low shot from just inside the penalty area levelled the scores for Ramon Diaz’s side in the 51st minute and, six minutes later, Eduardo steered his header home following Nicolas Milesi’s corner to put Al Hilal in charge ahead of the second-leg next week.