Ziaie to reinforce if Saba progress

AFCL - Saba Battery coach Mohammad Hossein Ziaie has vowed to reinforce his team should the Iranian side progress to the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League.

Saba's hopes improved on Wednesday with a 4-2 win over Al Gharafa and Ziaie praised the way his team fought back after going a goal down to the Qataris before earning a vital victory that keeps them in contention to progress from Group C.

Saba Battery coach Mohammad Hossein Ziaie

Although we were on top in the first half, we failed to score. I don't really know what happened. Neither my boys nor the Qatari side could execute our plans.

Al Gharafa thought after they netted the opening goal that we would draw back, but my players played much more to my satisfaction after conceding the first goal.

If we progress to knock-out phase, I will certainly make some changes in the team in order to reinforce it. Of course, that's if I'm still the team coach.

I've got no idea why their coach claims they did not travel to Tehran at full strength. He said he had not been able to use seven of his regular players in the squad and blamed his players' absence for the loss. He may have forgotten that we lost to them on their home pitch, though they had all their players prepared. I consider the Frenchman's remarks as an excuse, not a logical point of view.

On the other hand, we didn't have two of our regular defenders on the squad, due to suspension and another one out injured, so the conditions were equal.

Al Gharafa coach Michel Rouquette

My players were too young to play in this game. I sent seven young boys onto the pitch, whose inexperience finally accounted for our failure. Four of my players had not played with the rest of the team in any official match.

I knew if they scored their first goal, more would be follow as a result of my defenders' inexperience. I was hoping we could hold on to that 1-0 lead but Saba wouldn't let us.

After the draw for the group phase I actually thought Al Wahda would be the strongest team, but now I've changed my mind. Saba Battery actually deserved the victory and I should congratulate them for their win.