Iran’s Shahr Khodro Books Place at 2020 ACL Group Stage
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran’s Shahr Khodro completed a history making AFC Champions League group stage qualification, prevailing 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw against Qatar’s Al Sailiya FC at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium on Tuesday.
Goalkeeper Mahdi Rahmati was the hero for Shahr Khodro, producing a brilliant shootout save to deny countryman Karim Ansarifard before Saeid Sadeghi struck the decisive blow after more than 120 minutes of hard-fought action, the-afc.com reported.
Shahr Khodro’s success means there will be four Iranian clubs in the group stage.
With both sides vying for a first-ever group stage berth, there was a unanimous desire to gain an early advantage, but despite several bright attacking moments there would be no breakthrough in the first half.
Shahr Khodro has become the 13th club from Iran to reach the group stage.
With a place in the tournament proper achieved, the Mashhad-based side will begin its Group B campaign against reigning champion Al Hilal SFC, in a group which also contains Pakhtakor and Shabab Al Ahli Dubai.
