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Al Nasr lose their first round match to Sepahan with a lone goal

Dubai-based Al Nasr Football Team lost their first Asian match to Sepahan of Iran which was played this evening at Naghsh e Jahan Stadium in Esfahan city within Group "C" of the AFC Champions League which also includes Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia and the Qatari side Lekhwia. Brazilian striker Bruno Cesar scored the all-important goal of the game only seven minutes to time.

Al Nasr were almost to score an early goal only five minutes into play when Australian Marco Breciano collected the ball and crossed it inside the six yard area, but the Iranian defender cleared it away before it reaches the Italian striker Luca Toni. This was followed by two successive sitters for the hosts but both of them missed the target. Brazilian player Fabio of Sepahan came close to hit the back of the net but his rocket-like volley was saved bravely by Al Nasr goalie in the 17th minute. Breciano replied with a similar shot off a stand ball but it flew over the cross bar four minutes later.

The Iranians put more pressure on the visiting team's defense but failed to score. The Italian striker Luca Toni of Al Nasr tested his luck with a perfect header but his attempt missed the target only four minutes before the breather. Luka came again to send a lovely pass to his teammate Amara Diane from Ivory Coast in the last minute of the first session but the Iranian goalkeeper Rahman Ahmadi saved the day for his team for the Chinese referee to end the first half with a goalless draw.

Al Nasr relied heavily on defensive tactics from the very beginning of the second session and that gave their opponents to launch a number of raids on their goal. The home team created three successive chances in three minutes through Mahdi Sayed, Bruno Cesar and Suky but could not score.
The match turned in the last 20 minutes into continuous offense from the Iranians and strong defense from the visiting squad and that helped the hosts to net the lone goal of the match via Brazilian striker Bruno Cesar in the 83rd minute. Al Nasr tried their best afterwards to level the score but things remained unchanged till the end of the game.