TEHRAN – Al Shamal SC played out a goalless draw with Iran’s Tractor FC in a match held at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in the Omani capital, Muscat, in Matchday Two of the West Region in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Al Shamal SC collected their second point after opening their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad Club in Doha. The Iranian side earned their first point, having lost 1-0 to the UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli in the previous round.
Al Shamal SC were the better side at the start of the match, controlling possession and advancing towards goal, but they encountered a well-organized Iranian defense that preferred to sit deep and rely on counter-attacks.
Despite Al Shamal SC’s attempts to threaten their opponents’ goal, the first clear chance did not arrive until midway through the first half. Frenchman Youssouf Sabaly passed the ball towards Spaniard Alex Collado in front of goal, but his powerful shot was saved by the goalkeeper in the 22nd minute, before another effort from Portugal’s Tiago Silva went over the crossbar in the 33rd minute.
The Iran’s Tractor showed greater attacking intent in the closing minutes of the first half, threatening Al Shamal SC’s goal with a header from defender Shojae Khalilzadeh that went wide in the 39th minute. Al Shamal SC responded through a Youssouf Sabaly header that went over the crossbar in the 42nd minute, and the first half ended goalless.
Al Shamal SC began the second half with greater effectiveness. Algeria’s Nassim Benaissa nearly scored with a powerful shot that goalkeeper Parsa Jafari saved in the 50th minute, while Spaniard Pablo Mari headed over the crossbar from a corner in the 54th minute.
The Iranian side nearly caught Al Shamal SC out with the opening goal, but goalkeeper Babacar Seck produced an excellent save to deny a Danial Esmaeilifar shot from only a few meters out in the 60th minute, preventing what appeared to be a certain goal.
Al Shamal SC applied pressure in the closing minutes after Spanish coach David Prats made several substitutions. Alex Collado nearly scored with a low shot that the Iranian goalkeeper saved in the 79th minute, but despite Al Shamal SC’s sustained efforts, the closing stages brought no change to the score. The match ended goalless, with Al Shamal SC collecting their second point of the tournament.