Football: Al Ahli held by Esteghlal in AFC Champions League

Esteghlal's Kaveh Rezaei (right) vies for the ball with Al Ahli's Khamis Ismail (centre) during their AFC Champions League group B match (AFP)

Al Ahli face an anxious wait to know their AFC Champions League destiny after they were held to a 1-1 stalemate by Iran's Esteghlal at a rain-soaked Azadi Stadium in Tehran on Tuesday night.
Defender Abdelaziz Sanqour had put the Red Knights ahead on 17 minutes but that lead was cancelled out by Kaveh Rezaei on 58 minutes. 
With Uzbekistan's PFC Lokomotiv and Saudi Arabia's Al Taawoun playing out a 4-4 draw in Tashkent, it all comes down to the last round of fixtures on May 9. Al Ahli and Esteghlal are both on eight points apiece, while PFC Lokomotiv and Al Taawoun have five points each.
Al Ahli enjoyed respite from the heat and humidity of the UAE, in the cool climes of Tehran and went ahead on 17 minutes through Abdulaziz Sanqour. A move that begun with Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil neatly controlled the ball and set it up for Abdulaziz Sanqour, who slipped it in between the legs of goalkeeper Mahdi Rahmati. The Red Knights threatened again for a second moments later but the move was thwarted by the Esteghlal backline.
Esteghlal came back stronger after the restart with a barrage of attempts as they tried to set camp at the Al Ahli goal. The Red Knights did manage to soak up the pressure, but not for long though.
After Farshid Esmaeili had headed over the cross bar from inside the box on 47 minutes, Esteghlal managed to draw level through Kaveh Rezaei as the match closed in on the hour. The Al Ahli backline was caught napping as Kaveh Rezaei calmly headed it from close range, to put his side back in the game.
Al Ahli responded therafter but were to come up short as Ismail Al Hammadi's grounder from inside the box was collected safely by Mahdi Rahmati.
Esteghlal were relentless in their pursuit with a flurry of set pieces as they again pitched camp at the Al Ahli goal. And Majed Naser, who was kept busy, did well to stave off their challenges.
Rezaei came close to giving Esteghlal the lead with nine minutes left as he embarked on a solo. But Naser charged out of the blockes to avert the danger.
Makhete Diop, the two-goal hero in Al Ahli's win in the first leg, but kept quiet by Esteghlal here, threatened with a left-footed shot that just whizzed over the cross bar.
Coach Cosmin Olaroiu sent in Asamoah Gyan for Khalil, as a last throw of the dice, but was winner wasn't forthcoming.
james@khaleejtimes.com