News Center

Tractorsazi show home strength, beating Al Jazira 3-1

New Al Jazira boss Luis Milla presided over a 3-1 defeat at Tractorsazi Tabriz in his first game in charge of the Club, but despite the loss there were signs of promise in Al Jazira’s play, which the Spaniard will hope to improve on with more time. The AFC Champions League Group A opener, which took place in cold conditions at a packed Yadegar Emam Stadium in Iran, was always going to be a tough task for the UAE side, but the game was more closely balanced than the scoreline may suggest.

Al Jazira started brightly in a fast-paced, end-to-end first half, and did not seem too phased by the hostile atmosphere created by the large home crowd. In the 15th minute, Emirati midfielder Abdulla Mousa was fouled and awarded a free kick in a promising position by the Japanese referee. Argentinian midfielder Matias Delgado floated the set piece into the box, which was headed out for a corner also taken by Delgado. His whipped cross caused a scramble in the area and with Tractorsazi unable to clear their lines, the ball fell to Abdulla Mousa who got a powerful shot away, but he struck it off-balance and his effort rose just over the crossbar.

There were more attacks to follow from both sides, with Tractorsazi’s Javad Kazemeyan blasting a powerful free kick at Al Jazira’s goalkeeper Ali Khaseif, who needed two attempts to hold onto his catch, before Al Jazira’s Khamis Esmail’s shot from distance went close, and in the 34th minute Luiz Fernando’s powerful shot on target forced Tractorsazi’s goalkeeper to make a save. But just two minutes later the visitors were made to pay for failing to convert their earlier chances as Tractorsazi took the lead. A clever cross came in from the left-hand side of the penalty area, and Mohamehdi Seyed-Salehi was the quickest to react as he got in between Al Jazira’s centre back pairing and powered his header into the net to put Tractorsazi 1-0 up in the 36th minute, sending the vocal home crowd into celebration mode. Al Jazira tried to grab an equaliser before half time, with Ricardo Oliveira finding himself in a one-on-one situation in front of goal in the 43rd minute, but the Brazilian striker shot straight at the goalkeeper and the home side remained ahead at the break.

After the restart, both sides created chances again as Tractorsazi’s Seyed-Salehi missed the chance to get a brace, dragging his shot wide, and at the other end Khamis Esmail launched an ambitious drive from a long way out, but it was always rising over the crossbar. On the hour mark, the home side doubled their lead through Javad Kazemeyan, who made it 2-0 in the 60th minute with a low left-footed strike across goal and gave Al Jazira an even bigger hill to climb. However, the introduction of Ali Mabkhout in place of Diaky in the 64th minute looked to have paid dividends as fifteen minutes after coming on, the substitute toe-poked a precise finish past the Tractorsazi goalkeeper to make it 2-1 in the 79th minute and get Al Jazira back in the game. However, Tractorsazi were keen not to let a lead slip in front of their passionate home fans, and a minute later they stormed up the pitch and made it 3-1 ten minutes from time as Seyed-Salehi’s cross was met by the head of Masoud Ebrahimzadeh. Tractorsazi were reduced to 10 men in the 84th minute as Mohammad Ebrahimi received his second yellow card of the evening, but they held on to their lead for the closing minutes and the game finished 3-1.