TEHRAN - Shabab Al Ahli of the UAE came from behind to defeat Iran’s Sepahan 4-1 after extra time in their AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 Preliminary Stage 1 tie at the Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium on Tuesday.

The win took Shabab Al Ahli within one match of qualifying for the West league stage with the United Arab Emirates side to face Qatar's Al Gharafa on Aug. 13 in the second preliminary stage.

Neither side could make much headway in the opening half, with chances for both at a premium.

Iran's Sepahan, however, found a way past the tight Shabab Al Ahli defense just before the break, with Mohammadmehdi Mohebi opening the scoring with his shot from the center of the box.

Boosted by the goal, 2007 AFC Champions League runners-up Sepahan started the second half on the front foot but it was Shabab Al Ahli who found the back of the net next, drawing level through Sardar Azmoun.

The newly-signed Iran international was on the pitch for mere seconds when he found the target, sending his shot high into the Sepahan net from the center of the box, the-afc.com reported.

Neither side were able to find the target again in the remaining minutes of regulation time but that changed 11 minutes into extra-time with Yahya Al Ghassani putting Shabab Al Ahli ahead.

Yuri Cesar netted Shabab Al Ahli's third in the 109th minute with Al Ghassani scoring his second of the evening just before the final whistle as the UAE side moved within one match of securing a place in the group stage.