AFC - Naft Tehran recorded their first-ever victory in the Group Stage of the AFC Champions League in dramatic fashion as late goals by Amir Motahhari and Leandro Padovani saw them come from behind to stun Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia 2-1 on Wednesday.

The Iranian side looked to be heading for their second defeat in three games in Group B after Naif Hazazi’s 43rd minute penalty put the Saudi visitors ahead at the Azadi Stadium but substitute Motahhari got the home side back on level terms with a fine volley in the 86th minute before Padovani then headed in the winner in the final minute to reward the home side’s intense second-half pressure.

The result moved Naft up to four points, one behind group leaders Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates who beat Uzbek champions Pakthakor 1-0 in Tashkent earlier on Wednesday, while Al Shabab slipped to the bottom of the table with two points.

Naft made much of the early running and could have taken the lead after just six minutes when the Al Shabab defence failed to deal with a long throw-in that found its way to an unmarked Alireza Ezati, who scooped his attempt over the crossbar.

Their best opportunity of the opening half fell to Vahid Amiri, who clipped the ball over advancing goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah but just wide of the upright after being put through on goal in the 34th minute by Kamal Kamyabinia’s pass over the top of the Al Shabab defence.

Abdullah suffered an injury in trying to stop Amiri and had to be replaced by reserve goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais.

However, it would be the visitors who would grab the initiative late in the first half when they were awarded a penalty after Hazazi was sent clear and brought down by Alireza Beiranvand as he attempted to round the Naft goalkeeper.

Hazazi took the spot kick himself and sent Beiranvand the wrong way for his second goal of the Group Stage.

Naft nearly got back on level terms just before the interval when hesitation in the Al Shabab defence allowed Gholamreza Rezaei to pounce on a loose ball in the six-yard box but the forward could not direct his effort on target.

The home side turned up the pressure in the second half and Kamyabinia headed narrowly wide in the 57th minute before Al Owais tipped over another header shortly afterwards.

Naft Tehran’s efforts became increasingly more desperate as the half progressed but there seemed no way through the Al Shabab defence until a moment of magic by Motahhari with four minutes remaining.

He received the ball at head-height from Padovani on the right of the box and controlled it with his chest before launching a stinging volley towards the far corner that Al Owais got a hand to but was unable to keep out of his net.

Naft intensified their pressure and the winner would arrive in the final minute when Rezaei’s miscued volley turned into a perfect pass for Padovani who directed his header past Al Owais and into the bottom corner of the net to seal a dramatic win for the Iranian club.