Dubai: Al Ahli missed the chance to book early qualification to the Last 16 of the Asian Champions League (ACL) following a 1-1 draw away to Iran’s Esteghlal on Tuesday.
Abdul Aziz Sanqour put the visitors ahead on 17 minutes after nutmegging keeper Mahdi Rahmati.
Everton Ribeiro’s chip forward was headed down by Ahmad Khalil ready for Sanqoor to toe-poke through the legs of the advancing shot-stopper.
However, Kaveh Rezaei pulled one back for the hosts on 58 minutes after heading in Khosro Heidari’s cross.
The two sides had been level on seven points at the top of Group A heading into this game, three points clear of both Lokomotiv Tashkent of Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun, after four matches.
Victory for Al Ahli would have ensured the Red Knights qualification, after Lokomotiv and Al Taawoun drew 4-4 in the Uzbek capital earlier on Tuesday.
But now instead of sitting easy in their final group game at home to Lokomotiv on May 9 they must at least draw that fixture to ensure they aren’t overtaken for second and eliminated.
Elsewhere, fellow UAE-side Al Jazira crashed out of the competition following a 3-1 defeat at home to Qatar’s Al Lekhwiya on Tuesday.
Mbark Boussoufa put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot on 17 minutes before Tae-hee Nam equalised from the spot 10 minutes later.
Nam then got a second after the hour before Fares Juma was sent off for Al Jazira. That extra man made the difference for the visitors as they then went on to get a third through Yousuf Msakni on 77 minutes.
Al Jazira were already bottom of the group on a point, six points short of a necessary second-place finish. They would have needed to win both of their final two games, while hoping other results went their way, to at least stand a chance of going through.
