AFC - A five-minute double salvo earned Islamic Republic of Iran's Persepolis a solid 2-0 win over UAE’s Al Wasl in Matchday Three of the AFC Champions League Group C at Azadi Stadium on Monday.
Farshad Ahmadzadeh handed Persepolis the lead in the 36th minute after Hossein Mahini’s long throw-in was headed by captain Jalal Hosseini onto the path of Ahmadzadeh, who was well positioned at the far post to volley into the roof of the net.
Five minutes later, striker Ali Alipour doubled the joy of the home fans at Azadi Stadium. The number 70 was brought down inside the box as he attempted to round Al Wasl goalkeeper Yousif Abdulla. Alipour converted the resulting spot-kick down the middle for his third goal of the competition.
Australian midfielder Anthony Caceres came within a whisker of halving the deficit for Al Wasl in the dying minutes, but his curled effort from a free-kick was tipped behind for a corner kick by a flying Alireza Beiranvand.
The 2017 semi-finalists face Al Wasl’s again next week as the Emirati side remain without a point to their name after three games.