Sports > Football > ACL FINAL; SEPAHAN HAVE IT ALL TO DO IN SECOND LEG BY AFSHIN DASTAFSHAN
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Sepahan dropped crucial points at home and conceded an away goal in the first leg of Asian Champions League final (ACL) in Esfahan drawing with Urawa Reds of Japan 1-1. Sepahan took the initiative in the first half and had the upper hand for 20 minutes, however, despite their superior possession they failed to create any clear-cut chances with Japanese defence holding firm. Urawa started to take more control of the game half way through the first half and came close to scoring when they hit Sepahan’s goal post with a long range effort. The two sides appeared to be heading for a goalless draw in the first half but Urawa’s Brazilian play maker Robson Ponte stunned the home side with a long range shot from way outside of Sepahan’s penalty area and put the Japanese visitors ahead with only seconds of the first 45 left, this is the worst possible time for any team to concede a goal. Urawa Reds are currently top of J-League table while Sepahan are second in Iran’s PGL.
Japan’s league turned professional 15 years ago; they have invested heavily in their football training facilities, stadiums, coaching and have imported quality players to bolster the profile of their League since it turned Pro in 1992. The depth of professionalism in Japan football was evident in Urawa Reds’ patient style of play not mentioning clinical final touches; they showed they could hurt Sepahan given half a chance whilst Sepahan’s final touches let them down. Sepahan are currently sharing Zobahan FC’s stadium while Naghsheh Jahan stadium is being renovated.
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Sepahan head coach Luka Bonacic made a double substitution at half time break bringing Mohsen Hamidi and Lovinian on in place of Jalal Akbari and Saeid Bayat. The substitution paid off instantly as Lovinian hit Urawa’s goal post within 40 seconds of the second half starting, the rebound fell to Mahmoud Karimi who made no mistake and scored the equaliser for Sepahan. Despite Sepahan’s dominance of the second half they failed to score again despite creating a number of goal scoring opportunities, the match ended 1-1 with the return leg to be played in Japan on November 14th.
The pressure is on Sepahan who will have to play the return leg in front of 50,000 Japanese fans in Saitama. The 1,000 or so Urawa fans in Foolad Shahr stadium in Esfahan made plenty noise and supported their team fully in the first leg of the final, Sepahan have it all to do in the return leg knowing they will have to win the match or achieve a score draw of 2-2 or more goals to win the tie on away goal rule, a 0-0 draw would mean a win for Urawa Reds on the same basis thanks to their away goal scored in Esfahan.
It is not all bad news though, in football the match is not over until the final whistle goes, there is still 90 minutes left to play in this tie. Sepahan have done well in their away ACL matches this season and they will take heart from that, in this tournament Sepahan have won away fixtures against Al Ittihad of Syria, Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia and Kawasaki Frontale of Japan, it should also be noted that Urawa Reds conceded two goals on home soil to South Korea’s Seongnam Chunma in the semi final and winning eventually in a penalty shootout. Sepahan have nothing to lose now and will have to go for it, time for Bonacic to come up with yet another game plan to outdo his opposite number.
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