{"id":29238,"date":"2017-09-28T12:06:50","date_gmt":"2017-09-28T19:06:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.persianfootball.com\/news\/?p=29238"},"modified":"2017-09-28T12:06:50","modified_gmt":"2017-09-28T19:06:50","slug":"persepolis-mensha-rues-injuries-suspensions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.persianfootball.com\/news\/2017\/09\/28\/persepolis-mensha-rues-injuries-suspensions\/","title":{"rendered":"Persepolis’ Mensha rues injuries, suspensions"},"content":{"rendered":"

AFC – ABU DHABI, Nigerian forward Godwin Mensha bemoaned the absences of key individuals that hamstrung Persepolis in their 4-0 defeat by Al Hilal on Tuesday.
\nAmong those unavailable for selection for the Iranian club were leading scorer Mehdi Taremi, midfielder Kamal Kamyabinia and defender Mohammad Ansari.<\/strong><\/p>\n

With the spine of the side removed, the Iran Pro League champions had no answers for a stunning performance from Al Hilal that saw Omar Khribin net a hat-trick and Yasir Al Shahrani strike in a magnificent four-goal triumph.<\/p>\n

“It was a difficult game for us because the team was weakened due to injuries and suspensions, but we tried to do our best,” said Mensha, who joined Persepolis in the summer. <\/p>\n

“We tried to react when the first goal was scored but got hit with a second, and we ended up getting caught in a downward spiral.”<\/p>\n

Persepolis are already in uncharted territory having never progressed further than the Round of 16 but, having confidently dispatched another Saudi side Al Ahli in the quarter-finals, will have been disappointed with the result in their first semi-final tie.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, Mensha is adamant that things are not done and dusted yet with the return leg in Muscat three weeks’ away.<\/p>\n

“This was not our final game, we still have another match in Oman and we will do our best,” he added.<\/p>\n

“The next game we obviously have to improve, play better and play stronger to get a better result. At the very least we need a positive result.” <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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