Al Gharafa faced off against Iran’s Persepolis in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw in the fourth round of the AFC Champions League Elite at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai. Despite a strong performance in the second half, Al Gharafa had to settle for a point, with Farshad Faraji scoring for Persepolis in the 53rd minute and Ahmed Al Ganehi equalizing for Al Gharafa just three minutes later.
After the draw, Al Gharafa moved to 4 points from their first four games, while Persepolis continued to search for their first win with 2 points in the group’s halfway stage. Al Gharafa had several late missed chances, including a key opportunity when Yacine Brahimi was unable to beat the Persepolis goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation. The match started with chances for both sides, with Faraji and Coman missing opportunities in the opening minutes.
In the second half, Faraji broke the deadlock with a freak goal after a long throw-in from Amiri, but Al Ganehi quickly equalized for Al Gharafa. The goal sparked confidence in The Cheetahs, who began to put pressure on the Persepolis defense. Brahimi and Coman both came close to scoring, but were unable to find the back of the net. The match ended in a frantic finish, with both teams creating chances in the final moments.
Despite the draw, Al Gharafa can take positives from their performance, particularly in the second half where they showed determination and attacking intent. The result leaves Al Gharafa in a decent position in the group standings, while Persepolis will be looking to improve their form in the remaining matches. The missed opportunities will be a point of focus for Al Gharafa as they look to secure qualification to the next stage of the competition.
Overall, the match was an entertaining encounter with both teams showing quality in attack and defense. The draw was a fair result based on the performance of both sides, and Al Gharafa will be looking to build on their strong second-half showing in their upcoming matches. The AFC Champions League Elite continues to provide exciting matches and highlights the talent and competitiveness of teams from across the continent.
