UAE side Shabab Al Ahli defeated Iran’s Esteghlal 2-0 at Rashid Stadium in Dubai on Tuesday evening, October 27, in the third round of the AFC Champions League Elite, securing their third consecutive victory in the competition. It was Esteghlal’s first defeat of the current campaign.

Neither team scored in the first half, but second-half substitutes Matheusao and Juan Bizerra found the net in the 69th and 84th minutes respectively, both assisted by Sardar Azmoun. The two Shabab Al Ahli goalscorers had come on in the 58th minute.

Shabab Al Ahli, who started Iranian internationals Sardar Azmoun and Saeid Ezatolahi, had previously beaten Iran’s Tractor 1-0 in Dubai and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad 2-1 in Jeddah. The UAE representatives have therefore defeated both Iranian teams in the opening three rounds.

The victory took Shabab Al Ahli to nine points, while Esteghlal remained on six after winning their opening two matches against Qatar’s Al Sadd and Al Gharafa.

In the fourth round of the AFC Champions League Elite, Esteghlal will face Qatar’s Al Shamal on Tuesday, November 3, while Shabab Al Ahli will visit Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in Riyadh on the same day.