Saipa add to Al Wasl woes

AFC - Iran Pro League champions Saipa scored a goal in each half to defeat Al Wasl 2-0 in their second Group B match of the AFC Champions League at Enghelab Stadium on Wednesday.

Saipa took the lead in the last minute of the first half through Malian midfielder Issa Traore before Karim Ansarifar sealed the win after 57 minutes.

The hosts made a good start to the game and should have gone ahead in the 11th minute when Milad Zandipour's 30-yard free-kick was punched clear by Al Wasl goalkeeper Majed Naser.

Al Wasl then nearly made the breakthrough after 20 minutes when a long pass from Essa Ali found Brazilian striker Alexandre Oliveira, who cut inside the area from the right before firing a powerful shot just wide of the post.

However, it was Saipa who took the lead just before the break when a crossf rom Milad Zandipour was cleared by Al Wasl defender Abdulla Essa but only as far as Traore, who made no mistake from close range.

Saipa continued their dominance in the second half and nearly doubled their advantage after 52 minutes when Ansarifar fired home a powerful shot from inside the box, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

But Ansarifar was not to be denied five minutes later when he ran on to along pass from the back before firing a powerful right-foot shot beyond the Al Wasl keeper.

Saipa thought that they had scored a third goal on the hour mark when Traore cut inside the area and struck a powerful shot that went beyond Naser but the ball was cleared off the line by Tariq Darwish.

The visitors should have pulled a goal back after 76 minutes when second-half substitute Mohamed Salem Al Enazi capitalised on a loose ballbefore passing to Alexander Oliveira, but the Brazilian striker's effort was saved by Saipa goalkeeper Misagh Esfahani.

Saipa had another chance with six minutes remaining but Majid Ayyoubi's shot was pushed behind for a corner by Naser just one minute before Amir Vaziri diverted a cross from Omid Sharifi into the Al Wasl net but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Al Wasl had one final chance to pull a goal back a minute before the end when Al Enazi hit a powerful shot from outside the area but was denied by the crossbar.