AFC - Hanif Omranzadeh and Andranik Teymourian scored in the second half as Iran champions Esteghlal advanced to the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League 3-1 on aggregate after recording a 2-1 comeback win over Thailand’s Buriram United in Wednesday’s second leg.

A 38th minute header from Buriram defender Osmar Barba had cancelled out Esteghlal’s slender one-goal advantage from last month’s first leg in Tehran.

But after Omranzadeh bundled home at the start of the second half at Buriram Stadium, Teymourian sealed Esteghlal’s passage with a spectacular long-range strike in stoppage time as the two-time Asian Club Championship winners remained oncourse to add to the titles won in 1970 and 1991 and join Korea Republic’s Pohang Steelers as the only three-time continental champions.

With the match being played amid a carnival atmosphere created by the energetic home support, Esteghlal midfielder Teymourian created the first effort on goal after just five minutes as his rising half volley from the edge of the Buriram area was comfortably dealt with goalkeeper Siwarak Tedsungnoen.

Buriram, though, remained the more adventurous of the two as the home side looked to quickly wipe out their one-goal deficit from the first leg, but Alejandro Menendez’s charges struggled to convert several seemingly promising opportunities into an effort on goal.

Midfielder Charyl Chappuis finally tried his luck from distance for the home side after 28 minutes but Esteghlal goalkeeper Mahdi Rahmati remained untroubled until Theerathon Bunmathan guided a weak shot into his arms four minutes later.

But Rahmati was left rooted to the spot seven minutes before half-time as Jirawat Makkharom’s inch-perfect left wing corner found Barba unmarked standing on the edge of the six-yard area and the centre-back had the simplest of tasks to guide a downward header into the back of the net.

Esteghlal coach Amir Ghalenoei introduced Farhad Majidi – a 2003 AFC Champions League winner with Al Ain – in place of Pejman Nouri at half-time, while Menendez added another dimension to his midfield with Anawin Jujeen replacing Surat Sukha.

And after Mohammad Ghazi headed Teymourian’s corner over the crossbar five minutes after the restart, the visitors equalised on the night two minutes later as the Buriram defence failed to fully clear another set-piece from the midfielder and Omranzadeh bundled home from close range despite the best efforts of goalkeeper Siwarak.

Buriram became increasingly frustrated as the half progressed as the home side searched for a way back into the contest and Barba send a tame effort straight at Rahmati with 14 minutes remaining.

And in stoppage time, Teymourian unleashed a spectacular long range effort which flew past the helpless Buriram goalkeeper Siwarak to seal Esteghlal’s passage.