TEHRAN – Persepolis of Iran football team defeated Emirati side Sharjah 4-0 to seal top spot in Group C of the 2020 AFC Champions League.

On Thursday, Persepolis and Sharjah needed a win to book their berth in the knockout stage but the Iranian team dominated their opponents from the start of the match.

Shoja Khalilzadeh needed just 65 seconds to open scoring for the Reds. Ehsan Pahlevan dribbled past two players and sent a curling pass for Khalilzadeh who headed home his second goal of the campaign.

Issa Alekasir made it 2-0 in the 41st minute, powering in a header that clipped Adel Al Hosan’s hand and went into the back of the net despite the Sharjah goalkeeper’s best efforts.

Vahid Amiri scored Persepolis’s third goal before the break.

Persepolis managed the match in the second half but substitute Mehdi Abdi scored one more goal in the added time after he was left unmark inside the box.

Al Taawoun’s 1-0 win over Al Duhail in the other Group C fixture means Persepolis top the group and will face Group D runners-up Al Sadd in the Round of 16, while Al Taawoun progress as runners-up and set-up an all-Saudi clash against Al Nassr in the next round.