AL RAYYAN, Qatar (Interstat) — Esteghlal FC defeated Al-Gharafa 2-1 on Monday as Jasir Asani and Hossein Goudarzi scored, overcoming Ferjani Sassi’s equalizer. Asani struck in the 37th minute, Sassi leveled in the 48th and Goudarzi netted the winner in the 60th. Goudarzi and Sassi each played 90 minutes and scored. Asani also scored before being substituted. Saleh Hardani and Seydou Sano recorded assists. Esteghlal improved to 1-0 in the competition and 1-0-1 overall. Al-Gharafa fell to 0-1 in the competition and 2-4-1 overall. Esteghlal’s Masharipov was booked in the 44th, Cheshmi in first-half stoppage time and Gholizadeh in the 82nd. Substitutions followed: Razzaghinia in the 32nd, Traore in the 46th, Masharipov in the 53rd, Magri in the 64th, Asani in the 67th, Sano and Al Rashidi in the 75th and Brahimi in the 80th. The visitors protected their lead after Goudarzi’s decisive finish.