JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli Saudi FC marked a successful beginning to their AFC Champions League Elite League Stage campaign with a narrow 1-0 win against Persepolis FC of Iran on Monday. Frank Kessie's early goal at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium was the difference in a match that saw both teams create several opportunities but struggle with their finishing. The breakthrough came just two minutes into the game when Riyad Mahrez played a precise pass to Kessie. The Ivorian midfielder controlled the ball smoothly and fired a powerful shot past Persepolis goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz. As the match progressed, Persepolis began to assert themselves, with Soroush Rafiei and Vahid Amiri dominating the midfield and Oston Urunov causing trouble on the left flank. Persepolis nearly equalized in the 35th minute when Ali Alipour's header required a reflex save from Al Ahli's Edouard Mendy, with Uronov missing the follow-up attempt. Shortly before halftime, Persepolis were awarded a penalty for a foul by Merih Demiral on Uronov, but referee Adam Makhadneh overturned the decision after a VAR review. In the second half, Al Ahli looked to extend their lead. Ivan Toney's attempt was thwarted by a smart save from Guendouz, and Roger Ibanez's header from a Demiral pass went wide. Al Ahli had a chance to double their advantage when Toney was fouled by Hossein Kanani in the box, but Mahrez's penalty was well-saved by Guendouz. Persepolis did manage to pose a threat with Uronov and Isa Al Kasir both having chances, but Mendy and the Al Ahli defense stood firm. In the closing moments, Toney was sent through on goal but missed his shot against Guendouz. Despite this, Al Ahli held on for the victory and the three points.
