Foolad Goalkeeper Gordan among Players to Watch: 2023 ACL
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foolad goalkeeper Shahab Gordan is among the players who could make the difference for their teams over the next round of match-ups in the AFC Champions League 2022 Round of 16 (West).
Ahead of the competition, the eight teams will be looking for their talismanic talents to guide them through to the next round.
From heroic goalkeepers to prolific scorers to midfield maestros, the-AFC.com profiles the eight key players.
Over 12 years since he led Zob Ahan to the AFC Champions League final, Gordan proved he still has what it takes to excel in the competition, even at the age of 38, as he led Foolad to the top of Group C unbeaten.
No goalkeeper in the AFC Champions League 2022 kept more clean sheets than Gordan as the veteran ensured his side conceded only two goals so far this campaign. Gordan’s 89% save percentage is only second to Al Shabab’s Fawaz Al Qarni (91%).
The three-time Iran international will be chasing a personal record, having kept six clean sheets in the 2010 edition, but in order to get the chance to match that figure, he would have to secure a clean sheet and help his side overcome Al Faisaly in the round of 16 first.
Odion Ighalo (Al Hilal SFC), Edmilson Junior (Al Duhail SC), Khusain Norchaev (Nasaf), Ever Banega (Al Shabab FC), Federico Cartabia (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai), Rossi (Al Faisaly) and Sofiane Boufal (Al Rayyan) are the other candidates in the list.
