AFC Champions League Elite
Joel Kojo gave the Iranians the lead in the fourth minute but Rewan Amin levelled four minutes after the interval for the visitors, whose slim chances of a top eight finish in the league phase and a last 16 berth now hinge on results in other matches.
The draw moves Esteghlal onto six points from seven games with Al Shorta on three, meaning defending champions Al Ain cannot climb into the qualification places for the knockout rounds with one league phase match remaining.
The hosts made a quickfire start, Kojo pouncing in the six-yard box to stab his shot past Mohammed Kareem after Abdulfazl Jalali’s low cross from the left had caught out the Al Shorta defence.
The visitors eventually settled, although Sajjad Jassim’s attempt from distance did little to trouble goalkeeper Seyed Hossein Hosseini in the 18th minute with the ball bouncing harmlessly wide.
Hussein Al Saedi went much closer seven minutes before the interval, the midfielder picking up possession on the edge of the area after a half-cleared corner only for his shot to fly narrowly over the crossbar.
Despite holding the lead, Esteghlal had been on the back foot for much of the first half but almost added a second in injury time. Mohammadreza Azadi burst down the left before bending his shot onto the crossbar, with Kojo heading the rebound across the face of goal.
Jalali then forced a fine save out of Kareem, diving to his left to keep out another attempt from distance as the home side ended the half on a high.
That momentum was to count for nothing after the interval, with Al Shorta pulling level four minutes into the second period.
Ameer Saba’s corner from the right was flicked across goal by Ayoub Mouddane as he rose above the Esteghlal defence and, after Mahmoud Al Mawas directed the ball back into the middle from the far post, substitute Amin hooked a goal-bound effort over his shoulder.
Esteghlal sought to reclaim the lead, Kojo nodding over the bar while Ramin Rezaeian thought he had restored the advantage midway through the half with a left foot strike, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
Kareem’s reflex save kept out Arash Rezavand’s side-footed attempt with eight minutes remaining and Juma Masud saw his injury time strike ruled out for offside as Esteghlal pushed in vain for a decisive second.
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