TEHRAN – Persepolis football team were held to a goalless draw by Kashima Antlers of Japan in the second leg of the AFC Champions League here on Saturday.

The result means Kashima Antlers won the title 2-0 aggregate.

Persepolis started an attacking football but failed to find the back of the net.

Persepolis strikers Ali Alipour and Godwin Mensha had scoring chances in the first half but lacked a cutting edge.

Persepolis Iraqi midfielder Bashar Resan also could have scored in the first half but Kashima goalkeeper Kwoun Sun-tae saved his attempt from close range.

In the second half, the Japanese managed the match and didn’t allow Persepolis to threaten their goal.

 Kashima Antlers became the third Japanese team to win the AFC CL after Urawa Red Diamonds (2007, 2017) and Gamba Osaka (2008).

  Kashima also became the third different Japanese team to win the AFC CL – only South Korean teams have won more titles in the history of the competition (five different winners, six titles overall).

    Iranian teams have been runners up every time they have reached the final round in the AFC CL (Sepahan in 2007 and Zob Ahan in 2010) – only Saudi Arabia and South Korea (three different teams from each) have been runners up on more occasions.

    Excluding neutral venues, Persepolis are unbeaten in their last 14 homes games in the AFC CL (W10 D4), with five of those in the knockout stages (W3 D2).

    Excluding neutral venues, Kashima Antlers are winless in their six knockout games away from home in the AFC CL (D2 L4), but have lost with a margin of two goals or more only once in that run.