Sepahan enjoyed plenty of home town support [AFP]

The goals came either side of halftime as Robson Ponte scored the crucial away goal for the visitors before the break before Mahmoud Karimi equalised for Sepahan 50 seconds after the interval.
 
Urawa then had to withstand enormous pressure Sepahan to maintain parity and take an away-goal advantage into the second leg in Saitama on November 14.
 
Both sides are attempting to become the first winner of Asia's premier club competition for their respective countries.

After seeing off a strong opening 10 minutes from Sepahan, Urawa took control with Yuichiro Nagai finding gaps in the home defence.

Nagai's header from close range went wide after 22 minutes, following a good cross from the left by Tadaaki Hirakawa.

The striker gave Sepahan more headaches five minutes later when he beat goalkeeper Abbas Mohammadi from a tight angle only for his shot denied by the woodwork. 

Japan's Orawa Reds Ponte Robson (c) vies for the ball with Iran's Sepahan Ehsan Haji Safi (l) and Abdul Wahab Abolheil (r) [AFP]

Sepahan's attacks were easily contained by Urawa's solid defence in the first half, led by Keisuki Tsuboi.

Urawa's domination paid dividends in the final minute of the first half when Brazilian Ponte unleashed a 30-metre pile-driver that found the back of the net after a goalkeeping lapse by Mohammadi.

The introduction of Ebrahim Lovinian by Sepahan for the second half immediately paid off.

Lovinian's close-range shot rebounded off the post with Karimi on hand to stroke the ball past stranded goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki.

The Asian champions will qualify for the FIFA World Club Cup in Japan in December.

Recommend this article...

Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto: