Questionable coaching cost Saba the game

Saba Battery blew a one goal lead against Al Karama in Matchday two of the AFC Champions League. In my humble opinion this loss was entirely the result of bad coaching decisions.

First, leading 1:0, Saba coach Mohammad Ziaei pulled Allen Avdic, one of his three strikers for defensive midfielder Ali Ghasemian. Jehad Al Hussein scored the tying goal for the Syrians only a minute later. Although one can not blame the goal on the substitution, it clearly reduced Saba’s pressure up front, allowing the Syrians to push forward with more confidence.

Then, with the game still tied at one, instead of pulling forward Ali Daei who was injured earlier in the game and was clearly less effective, Ziaei substituted forward Babak Zolrahmi with another forward, Ali Asghar Mohammadi; a move than did not have much of an effect on the game.

Finally, with less than ten minutes to go, Ziaei made yet another cautious move using his last substitution to bring on defender Mojtaba Hosseini for midfielder Mostafa Mahdizadeh.

The move allowed Al Karama to take virtual control of the game, and striker Mohamad Al Hamwi who had come in only twelve minutes earlier scored the winning goal right at the end of regulation time to shock the home team with a 2:1 defeat.

This was a clear case of a coach loosing his nerve and getting too cautious when there was really no reason to be cautious. Saba had the game under control and they might have even increased their lead had the coach not meddled with the formation.