Lekhwiya players in action during a training session ahead of their AFC Champions League Round of 16 second leg clash against the visiting Persepolis FC. Lekhwiya need a win over Iran’s Persepolis FC in today’s clash at Al Sadd Stadium to book a spot in t
Qatar’s Lekhwiya need a win over Iran’s Persepolis FC in today’s clash at Al Sadd Stadium to book a spot in the last eight stage of the AFC Champions League.
With the first leg match in Tehran ending in a goalless draw, a win at home over the Iranian side will see the Qatar Stars League champions progress to their third quarter-final of the continental championship in five years.
The competition’s top scorer Mehdi Taremi may be left to rue his late penalty miss at Azadi Stadium as Persepolis squandered the chance to take a one-goal lead to Doha, where unbeaten Lekhwiya have played three, won three.
Poor finishing proved Persepolis undoing in the first leg with the missed penalty making headlines but it was a display of overall wastefulness in the final third which leaves Persepolis in a tricky position in the return match in Qatar.
Lekhwiya showed that much can be achieved with a patient, compact approach to the game—albeit assisted by the travails of Persepolis’ forward line.
Persepolis will feel disappointed to have ended the tie at 0-0, having enjoyed three golden chances inside the opposition penalty area besides a Taremi missed penalty.
Despite 59.2 percent of possession and 10 shots to their opponents’ five, Persepolis were unable to find a breakthrough to give them a lead.
The normally deadly strike duo of Taremi and Vahid Amiri were both guilty of big misses inside the opposition six-yard box, as goalkeeper Qasem Burhan excelled in the Lekhwiya net.
For all the quality of their build-up play on the night, Persepolis’ squandered chances leave them with a difficult task in the away leg.
Lekhwiya carried a threat throughout thanks to the excellence of Korean playmaker Nam Tae-hee—once more an influential figure in the clash.
While Tae-hee’s side were forced to concede possession for long periods, the Korean looked capable of causing damage whenever he picked up the ball—winning five free-kicks as Persepolis struggled to deal with his slippery attacking runs.
It was also Tae-hee who created four of the five shooting opportunities which Lekhwiya enjoyed on the night, using his quick feet and vision to provide chances for his side when all else were failing.
Back on home soil Lekhwiya will fancy their chances of being more dominant in the flow of the encounter and with Tae-hee in this kind of form, they will certainly expect to create what could be decisive chances.
