2021 ACL Group B: Tractor Earns First Win
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Tractor football club of Iran got its first win of the campaign as it overcame 10-man Air Force Club of Iraq 1-0 on Matchday 4 of the 2021 AFC Champions League Group B on Friday.
The result sees Tractor climb to six points, keeping its qualification hopes alive, while Air Force Club freezes at two points as its search for a first win and a first goal continues.
Tractor came racing out of the blocks and was in the lead within two minutes. Mehdi Tikdari dribbled his way into the box from the right flank and fed Peyman Babaei who tried to convert first-time, but his shot was parried by goalkeeper Fahad Taleb into the path of Tikdari who swept home his side’s opening goal.
Air Force Club suffered a blow as defender Ehasn Haddad was stretched off at the half-hour mark to be replaced by Sameh Saeed.
Things went from bad to worse for the Iraqis eight minutes before the break as center-back Maytham Jabbar took down Tractor’s Babaei as he went through on goal, earning a straight red card.
Tractor will face Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor on Monday while Air Force Club play UAE's Sharjah.