Iran's Persepolis Vice Champion of AFC Champions League
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Persepolis played out a goalless draw against Kashima Antlers of Japan in the second leg of the AFC Champions League at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran on Saturday.
Kashima Antlers was crowned winner for the first time because the result saw the Japanese side wrap up a 2-0 aggregate scoreline following its first leg victory in Japan last week.
A total of 80,000 supporters attended the match but Persepolis was unable to reduce Kashima’s two-goal advantage.
Persepolis, who began the match with the only change of either team from the first leg in Kashima, had the first sight on goal in the opening minutes when Ali Alipour fired wide from just inside the right side of the box.
Alipour again had another attempt on goal just before the half-hour mark but his header lacked the power to trouble Kashima goalkeeper Kwoun Sun-tae, who had previously won the AFC Champions League twice with former club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
Bashar Resan could have opened the scoring for the host in dramatic fashion seven minutes before the break, but Sun-tae was alert to the attempt to beat him at his near post.
With Persepolis needing a goal to reduce the deficit and to have any chance of becoming continental champion, Alipour saw his volleyed effort shortly after the hour fly wide.
Kashima’s defense stood strong to see out the tie and become the third side from Japan, after Gamba Osaka and Urawa, to lift the AFC Champions League title.