We Wanted to Qualify, Naft Coach Mansourian Says
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Naft Tehran coach Alireza Mansourian said they went to Saudi Arabia with a great ambition to qualify for the AFC Champions League next round.
Naft advanced to the ACL next stage after suffering a 2-1 loss but won on the away goals rule after the aggregate score finished in a 2-2 draw.
"We came to Saudi Arabia with great ambition as we wanted to qualify for the next round. We planned to score an early goal which would affect our opponents and we successfully scored an important goal," Mansourian said in the post-match news conference.
"I want to congratulate my players for the great achievement as we defeated a strong team who didn't lose any matches in the group stage and its first defeat in the competition was against us in the first leg," he said.
The win means ACL newcomers Naft Tehran join Qatar's Lekhwiya, Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia and Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates in the western half of the draw for the quarterfinals.