Iranian Trio Shortlisted for Best 2020 ACL Team: Defenders
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian defenders Hossein Kanaani, Shoja Khalilzadeh and Saeid Aghaei were nominated for the best 2020 AFC Champions League Team.
With the dust settling on Ulsan Hyundai FC lifting the title for the second time, the-afc.com continues its search for the 2020 AFC Champions League Best XI with focus on the defensive stalwarts.
Last week, the-afc.com presented the candidates for the 2020 edition's best goalkeeper, and now it shines the spotlight on the players who will make up the backline.
There are the 14 players in contention for the four places in defense, including three Iranians.
Hossein Kanaani - Persepolis FC, IRN
* 491 successful passes
* 17 interceptions
In Persepolis' journey to the 2020 AFC Champions League final, Hossein Kanaani only missed one game, totaling 795 minutes of playing time. His 491 completed passes ranked the 26-year-old among the top six players who achieved such a record in 2020.
No other player in Persepolis made more interceptions (17) than the Islamic Republic of Iran international. Most notably, Kanaani stood out in Persepolis' clash against Al-Sadd in the Round of 16, earning him the match MVP.
Shojae Khalilzadeh - Persepolis FC, IRN
* 2 goals scored (Best overall record)
*476 successful passes
* 78 possession won (Best overall record)
Shojae Khalilzadeh was a standout performer in Persepolis' campaign. With nine appearances and 840 minutes played, he was the only defender to score more than once in the 2020 edition.
The Iran international also completed more passes than any other player in the tournament, and holds the record of being the only player to marshal the Persepolis defense to five clean sheets.
Saeid Aghaei - Persepolis FC, IRN
*3 assists
*9 chances created
* 41 crosses from open play (Best overall record)
* 76.5% tackle success rate, 15 interceptions
Saeid Aghaei was a mainstay in the Persepolis lineup, appearing in all but one match. The 25-year-old racked up three assists with only three other players having created more goals in the 2020 edition - Jonathan Viera, Teruhito Nakagawa and Sultan Al Ghannam (all on four assists).
Aghaei was always on the lookout for opportunities, making 41 open play crosses - more than any other player in 2020 - and also fulfilled his defensive duties by winning 13 of his 17 tackles, as well as making 15 interceptions.
