Top Qatari side Al Duhail recorded their fifth consecutive win in the AFC Champions League by defeating Iran’s Zobahan in Isfahan on Tuesday.

Ismail Mohammad struck the all-important goal late into their Group B clash.

Al Duhail, who had become the first team to make it to the last 16 after the fourth round, rested key players Youssef Msakni and Youssef El Arabi. However, they managed to hold their own against a Zobahan side that desperately needed a win.

Chances were few and far between during the first half, with neither side managing to pose any real danger for their opponents. Things improved after the break, with Zobahan coming close to scoring on many occasions.

Kiros could have put Zobahan ahead in the 52nd. However, his shot from inside the box was saved by Al Duhail keeper Amine Lecomte.

In the 76th, Morteza Tabrizi set up Milad Fakhreddini with a cross, but once again, Lecomte showed fine reflexes to keep the effort out.

Al Duhail suddenly broke the deadlock in the 84th with their first shot on target, when Mohammad tapped into an empty goal following Sultan Al Breik’s precise pass from the left.

Al Duhail sealed top spot in Group A with a perfect record after five games and will now host Al Wahda in their final group game.

Zobahan, meanwhile, will look to defeat Lokomotiv in Tashkent to secure their own place in the knockout stage.