Al Gharafa's Joselu (second left) is challenged by Persepolis players.
Dubai: Despite a fine performance, especially in the second half, Al Gharafa were forced to share the spoils in a 1-1 draw with Iran’s Persepolis in the fourth round (West Zone) of AFC Champions League Elite at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai yesterday,
While Persepolis’ Farshad Faraji scored for the Iranian side in the 53rd minute, substitute Ahmed Al Ganehi drew parity for Al Gharafa in the 56th minute.
The result moved Al Gharafa on to 4 points from their first four games while Persepolis continue to look for their first win with 2 points to their credit at the group’s halfway stage.
Al Gharafa were left to rue a string of late missed chances and from being close to fetching the full three points.
Among the several chances, the one big miss was four minute from time when Yacine Brahimi brilliantly ran down the field and had only the rival goalkeeper to beat but his attempt to go through the custodian’s legs was foiled.
At the start, in the 5th minute, Faraji sent a flying volley over the bar in the fifth minute and soon Al Gharafa’s Florinel Coman smashed his right-foot shot wide of the Iranian side’s goal in a lively opening from both sides.
In the 20th minute, Joselu’s spectacular overhead kick was kept out by the Persepolis defence.
In the 38th minute, when Oston Urunov’s low drive seemed headed for the bottom corner of the Al Gharafa goal but Sergio Rico threw himself to his left to make a sprawling save.
The deadlock was broken in the second half and in freak fashion as a Vahid Amiri long throw-in from the right looped deep into the Al Gharafa penalty area, and after the ball bounced in the six-yard box, Faraji slammed his shot home.
But Persepolis’ lead could last only less than three minutes as moments after being substituted in, Al Gharafa’s Al Ganehi found the ball falling at his feet following a charge and a Persepolis defence lapse. Al Ganehi’s his first-time strike seared past Alexis Guendouz and levelled the scores 1-1.
The equalizer saw The Cheetahs roar with confidence and they soon began making several raids at the rival den. Brahimi went close to putting Al Gharafa in front, just missing the top corner with a curling free-kick and Coman shot over the bar as Persepolis now being made to defend hard.
Coman squandered another opening when he was played in on the Persepolis goal and Al Gharafa captain Ferjani Sassi had a long-range attempt deflected wide before Joselu’s weak effort was gathered by Guendouz, dropping to his left.
Brahimi was denied four minutes from time by Guendouz while Al Gharafa goalkeeper Sergio Rico made a reflex save deep into injury time to Persepolis substitute Lucas Joao’s attempt in a frantic finish.
