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Peykan| Piroozi 3-1 Al Gharafa: Piroozi powers past Qataris [VIDEO] |
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| Wednesday, 08 April 2009 18:02 |
 Mezyar Zare fired Piroozi ahead from the penalty spot after 36 minutes and Ibrahim Toure extended the Iranian side’s lead with a cool finish in stoppage time at the end of the first half. Alireza Vahedi Nikbakht added a third early in the second-half before Fernandao fired home a consolation for the visitors from a 69th minute free-kick. Both sides took their time to settle into the match played in pouring rain, and it was the home side that offered the first real threat after 13 minutes as Ali Karimi swung in a free-kick from left that Rahman Rezaei was unable to direct on target with a header. Piroozi dominated possession in the opening half hour but very nearly fell behind after 32 minutes when Araujo was released by Nashat Akram’s neat through ball but slid his shot wide in a one-on-one confrontation with goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi. Al Gharafa would rue that miss as the hosts went ahead through a penalty four minutes later, awarded for Mohamad Al Haj’s sliding challenge on Toure. Qasem Burhan advanced well off his goal line but Zare coolly slid the ball past the Al Gharafa goalkeeper. With half-time looming, Piroozi extended their advantage as Alireza Mohammad made a surging run towards the Al Gharafa box drawing defenders towards himself before slipping a pass through to Toure, who coolly flicked the ball past Burhan. The home side took complete control with a third two minutes into the second half as Karimi’s cross from the left was brought down on the edge of the box by Toure for Nikhbakht, who fired home. Toure could have netted his second of the night just after the hour mark when he was found unmarked at the far post by Nikhbakht’s cross, but the Senegalese striker fired wastefully over. Al Gharafa attempted to rescue some pride as Lawrence Quaye’s shot from 20 yards out was well saved by Haghighi. But Brazilian striker Fernandao did manage a consolation for the visitors, firing a free-kick past a static Haghighi into the top right corner with 21 minutes remaining. |
