Persepolis register first win at 2024/25 AFC Champions League Elite

TEHRAN – Giorgi Gvelesiani’s late penalty earned Persepolis their first win in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 on Monday as the Iranian side launched a late fight back to hand Al Shorta from Iraq a 2-1 defeat in Doha in the most dramatic fashion.

Mohanad Ali’s 19th minute lob looked like it was going to earn Al Shorta their first win in the competition but Oston Urunov’s strike into the corner pulled Persepolis level and Gvelesiani won the game, but only after Al Shorta’s Mahmoud Al Mawas had missed a spot-kick of his own.

The equalizer came in the 89th minute when the ball found its way through to substitute Urunov eight yards from goal and the Uzbekistan international swept his right-foot shot beyond Basil.

But Mohammad Khodabandehlo was deemed to have handled the ball in his own penalty area when he blocked Hussein Ali’s goal-bound shot deep into added time only for Al Mawas’ penalty came back off the post to ensure the points were shared.

The drama continued at the other end, referee Kim Dae-yong pointing to the spot after the ball hit Salomon Bindjeme on the hand and Gvelesiani converted.

The result at Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium moves Persepolis onto six points from six games and into the qualification berths for the last 16 with two matches remaining while Al Shorta remain on two points and with their hopes of advancing dwindling, the-afc.com reported.