2026/27 ACL Elite: Esteghlal down Al Sadd [VIDEO]
Tehran Times – BASRA, Esteghlal football team overcame Qatar’s Al Sadd SC 3-0 in their AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 opener at the Basra International Stadium on Monday.
Jasir Asani capitalised on a defensive error to fire the Iran outfit ahead in the ninth minute before Saeid Saharkhizan extended their lead two minutes after the break and Esmaeil Gholizadeh sealed the match five minutes into injury time.
In a match largely dominated by the 19-time Qatar Stars League champions, Razvan Lucescu’s side were let down by poor finishing, with only one shot on target and a goal overturned by VAR.
The Qatari side started stronger but it was Esteghlal who struck the opening blow in the ninth minute when a wayward pass by Claudinho gifted the ball to Asani, who rounded defender Boualem Khoukhi and lashed the ball beyond Meshaal Barsham.
The 2011 champions gradually regained their composure, with Roberto Firmino connecting to Hashim Ali’s cross and looping his header over the bar in the 19th minute. The Brazilian then set up Claudinho 10 minutes later but the striker fired just wide of the right post after weaving past the defence.
The ever-threatening Firmino’s shot from the edge of the area in the 35th minute forced keeper Habib Abbasi into a diving save as Al Saad pushed forward in search of the equaliser only to be frustrated at the last.
A counterattack by the nine-time Iran champions in the 42nd minute had Barsham twisting in mid-air to deny a powerful strike by Amir Mohammad Razzaghinia from the edge of the box before Firmino closed the action in the first half by heading wide of the left post.
Saharkhizan gave Esteghlal the perfect start to the second half when he latched on to a through ball from Asani two minutes in, evaded a tackle from Paulo Otavio and drilled the ball through Barsham’s legs into the left corner.
Al Saad thought they had reduced the scoreline in the 57th minute when Firmino struck from point-blank range but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review for a handball by Yusuf Abdurisag.
Gholizadeh put the match beyond Al Saad’s reach five minutes into stoppage time when he picked up Mohammadhossein Eslami’s cross, snuck in between two defenders and booted the ball past Barsham.
