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Al Shabab surrender lead to lose 4-2 against Esteghlal

Al Shabab face an uphill task in the second leg of their AFC Champions League final 16 game against Esteghlal after surrendering a 1-0 lead to lose 4-2 to the Iranian team at the Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai. Fans from Al Shabab along with Al Nasr, Bani Yas, Al Ahli and Al Wahda turned out to cheer on the only remaining UAE side in this year’s AFC Champions League in a great show of support for the country’s clubs, but hosts could not prevent defeat and have it all to do when they visit Iran next week.

Al Shabab, playing without the suspended quartet of influential defenders Walid Abbas, Mahmood Qassim and Mohammed Marzooq and midfielder Hassan Ibrahim, began the game brightly with the Brazilian trio of Ciel, Edgar and Luis looking to make an impact early on. In the 10th minute Ciel broke away at pace but dragged his shot wide from a good position, and Edgar came close to breaking the deadlock minutes later. A shot from distance by Daood Al Balooshi had Esteghlal’s goalkeeper Mahdi Rahmati scrambling but it wasn’t enough for Al Shabab to find a way through. Esteghlal, boasting a vocal visiting support in the stands, were threatening on the break and close to half time Siavash Akbarpour almost found a way through, but the home side defended resolutely. In the second minute of added time at the end of the first half, Al Shabab got their reward for a disciplined first half display as Luiz buried a right-footed shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards to send Al Shabab into the dressing room with a 1-0 advantage at half time.

However, it only took ten minutes of the second period of play for Esteghlal to draw level as Khosro Heidari’s powerful shot from distance was parried by Al Shabab goalkeeper Salem Abdulla, but the rebound fell straight to Jlloyd Samuel and the former English Premier League striker made no mistake from close range to make it 1-1 in the 55th minute. Eight minutes later Esteghlal were almost in front but their captain Farhad Majidi’s shot was saved by the face of Salem Abdulla. Al Shabab stayed positive in their play and in the 69th minute a powerful shot from Edgar stung the palms of Mahdi Rahmati in the Esteghlal goal after good work from Luiz. In the 72nd minute Al Shabab were let off the hook as Javad Nekonam saw his goal-bound header from a corner blocked by Sami Al Hamadi, but seconds later the midfielder powered home a header from a free kick whipped in on the right, giving Esteghlal a 2-1 lead in the 73rd minute. Things went from bad to worse for the home side seven minutes later as Esteghlal extended their lead through Farhad Majidi in the 80th minute. Al Shabab failed to clear their lines as the ball ping-ponged around in the box before the Esteghlal captain got the decisive contact with his head to make it 3-1. Esteghlal had to remain alert as Al Shabab tried to get back in the game immediately, with Mahdi Rahmati making a spectacular double save to deny Ciel and Luiz in the 83rd minute, and one minute later the Dubai-based side managed to reduce the deficit as Edgar rose to head in an Essa Al Muhairi corner at the near post making it 3-2 in the 84th minute. Four minutes from time Edgar made a vital contribution at the other end as the Brazilian headed an Esteghlal effort off the line, but in the 89th minute the visitors dound a way through again as Khosro Heidari unleashed an unstoppable dipping strike from distance to make it 4-2 at full time.