{"id":35651,"date":"2019-03-04T14:06:21","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T22:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.persianfootball.com\/news\/?p=35651"},"modified":"2019-03-04T14:06:21","modified_gmt":"2019-03-04T22:06:21","slug":"acl-zob-ahan-held-by-al-zawraa-of-iraq-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.persianfootball.com\/news\/2019\/03\/04\/acl-zob-ahan-held-by-al-zawraa-of-iraq-video\/","title":{"rendered":"ACL: Zob Ahan held by Al Zawraa of Iraq [VIDEO]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tehran Times – ISFAHAN, Al Zawraa came away from Iran with a valuable point following a 0-0 draw against Zob Ahan in Group A of the AFC Champions League on Monday.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fixture at Fooladshahr Stadium marked the return of Iraqi clubs to the AFC Champions League for the first time since 2008, the-afc.com reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Zawraa nearly stunned their hosts six minutes in when Jabbar Kareem\u2019s header met Hussein Al Jwayed\u2019s cross from the corner. It connected perfectly, but the ball passed just wide to the relief of the home crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skipper Ghasem Hadadifar delivered Zob Ahan\u2019s response quarter of an hour into the match. The Number 8 cut into his left and rifled from 30 yards out, but goalkeeper Jalal Hassan stood tall and made the save.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visitors\u2019 defensive resolve meant it was difficult for coach Alireza Mansourian\u2019s men to break into the box. Instead they resorted to long-range efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hamid Bouhamdan tried his luck from distance, but his curled strike from the free-kick was too high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reza Habibzadeh followed suit. His set-piece from the left flank was destined for the top corner, had it not been for Hassan\u2019s flying save to tip it behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hakeem Shaker\u2019s men would have breathed a sigh of relief heading into the dressing room without conceding, as Hassan came to the rescue one more time before the break, denying Vahid Mohammadzadeh\u2019s looping header in the 41st minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Iranian crowd at Fooladshahr Stadium thought their team had fallen behind when Alaa Abbas took Mohammed Abdulzahra\u2019s cross first-time at the far post, but the ball ended up hitting the side netting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amir Motahari nearly snatched the three points for Zob Ahan at the death, capitalising on a defensive mix-up to break free and fire into the bottom corner, but the Al Zawraa goalkeeper had the angle covered and parried the ball behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Zawraa play<\/g> their first-ever AFC Champions League match on home soil against Al Wasl next week in Karbala, while Zob Ahan travel<\/g> to Dubai to face Saudi Arabia\u2019s Al Nassr in the group’s second Matchday Two fixture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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