Tunis:Thani Bin Jassim Stadium Esteghlal FC from Iran secured a 2-1 victory against Al Gharafa SC in the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/2027 on Monday. The match saw an intense battle with Esteghlal edging out their opponents to claim the win.

According to Qatar News Agency, Jasir Asani opened the scoring for Esteghlal in the 37th minute with a remarkable 20-yard shot that found the top left corner. Al Gharafa responded just after the break, with Ferjani Sassi equalizing in the 48th minute. However, Hossein Goudarzi restored Esteghlal's lead in the 60th minute with a shot that slipped past the goalkeeper Ahmad Kone.

The game started with both teams taking time to find their rhythm. Esteghlal had an early attempt with Saman Fallah's header from a corner going off-target in the 12th minute. Al Gharafa had their chance in the 21st minute with Seydou Sano's header missing the mark.

In the first half, Al Gharafa's goalkeeper Ahmad Kone made a notable save from Saeid Saharkhizan's shot during stoppage time, while Esteghlal's Habib Abbasi kept out efforts from Adam Ounas and Abdulrahman Faiz Al Rashidi.

The second half saw Sassi's equalizer for Al Gharafa, but Esteghlal regained control as Goudarzi took advantage of a lapse in goalkeeping to score the deciding goal. Esteghlal's defense held strong, with Abbasi making crucial saves and Rustamjon Ashurnatov clearing a close-range attempt from Ayoub Aloui to ensure victory for the Iranian side.