Al Sadd succumbed to defeat on penalties in their AFC Champions League playoffs match against Esteghlal of Iran
The AFC Champions League 2017 playoffs clash saw Iranian club Esteghlal make a dramatic return to the AFC Champions League Group Stage following a three-year absence after beating Qatar’s Al Sadd 4-3 on penalties following a goalless stalemate at the Azadi stadium in Tehran on Tuesday.
The two-time Asian Club Championship winners started the game brightly against the Qatari powerhouse Al Sadd but neither side was able to break the deadlock in 120 minutes of action.
Al Sadd squandered two of their spot kicks, whereas Esteghlal’s Omid Ebrahimi missed the second penalty of the shootout but the Iranian side converted the remaining spot kicks allowing substitute Khosro Heidari to slam home the winner and take the Iranians into Group A where they will play Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates, Uzbek side Lokomotiv and Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun.