Al Rayyan goalkeeper Oumar Barry tries to stop the ball from entering the net during their AFC Champions League match against Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha .
Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal and Persepolis of Iran qualified for the last sixteen sage of the AFC Champions League after they registered fighting wins in the last round matches of Group D in Doha and Tehran.
Playing at home, Qatar’s Al Rayyan needed a win to book a place in the next stage of the championship but went down fighting in the seven-goal thriller.
Nicolas Milesi and Omar Kharbin claimed a brace apiece as Al Hilal handed Al Rayyan a 4-3 defeat in the clubs’ thrilling final group game, ensuring the Saudi Arabian side took top spot in Group D as Michael Laudrup’s team crashed out.
Milesi gave Al Hilal the lead with five minutes remaining of a first-half dominated by the home side, who scored twice in four second-half minutes through Sebastian Soria and Rodrigo Tabata to move ahead.
A close-range effort rom Omar Kharbin levelled the scores again before Milesi found the top corner 17 minutes from time, only for Sergio Garcia’s 83rd minute equaliser for Al Rayyan to be nullified seconds later as Kharbin claimed his second in the 84th minute to give Al Hilal the win.
In Tehran, Mehdi Taremi's hat-trick helped Persepolis secure their passage to the Round of 16 following a 4-2 victory over Al Wahda. Needing a win at Azadi Stadium to advance, and for Al Rayyan to fail to defeat Al Hilal in the simultaneous kick-off in Group D, Soroush Rafiei gave the hosts an early lead after 17 minutes, which was quickly doubled by striker Taremi.
Al Wahda struck back just after the half-hour mark as Ahmed Al Akberi found the target, before Sebastian Tagliabue pulled the visitors level on 51 minutes. Persepolis, though, soon found a second wind as Taremi stepped up to a starring role by scoring three minutes later to restore the home side's lead and then again with 20 minutes remaining to seal what was ultimately a comfortable victory. With group leaders Al Hilal claiming a thrilling 4-3 victory over Al Rayyan in Doha, the Iranian champions leapfrogged the Qataris into second place to join Al Hilal in the next phase while Al Wahda finished bottom of the standings.
In Group C match in Doha, Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli confirmed their place in the knockout phase of the 2017 AFC Champions League as Christian Gross’ team handed Zobahan of Iran a 2-0 defeat to advance to the Round of 16.
The Jeddah-based club took all three points to secure second place in Group C and set up a last 16 meeting with the winners of Group A, which will be determined yoday.
After a goalless first-half, Abdulfattah Asiri put Al Ahli in front in the 63rd minute and, with six minutes remaining, Amiri Kurdi put the result beyond doubt when he slid in to score from six yards out.
