Reds’ keeper Hamed Lak saved Brazilian center-back Maicon’s penalty while five Persepolis players — Hossein Kan’anizadegan, Siamak Nemati, Milad Sarlak, Shoja Khalilzadeh, and Ali Shojaei — converted from the spot to send their side into a second final in three years.

Yahya Golmohammadi’s men had to overcome the shocking news of Issa Alekasir’s suspension, stepping into the game, after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced only hours before the kickoff that the in-form striker would be banned from any footballing activity for six months.

The Asian football governing body believes the Iranian violated the AFC’s Disciplinary and Ethics Code by making a “discriminatory gesture” while celebrating his double during the 2-0 last-eight victory over Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor last Wednesday.

Skipper Abderrazzak Hamdallah gave Al Nassr the lead from the spot with ten minutes before the interval after Khalid al-Ghannam was brought down in the box by Iraqi midfielder Bashar Resan.

Hamdallah stepped up to send Lak the wrong way by chipping calmly into the back of the net.

Persepolis, however, needed just six minutes to bounce back as Resan made up for his mistake by a fine cross to find striker Mehdi Abdi — who was only given a start following Alekasir’s suspension — before the 21-year-old equalized with a sublime header.

The Iranian club was lucky not to concede a second goal right after the break after Hamdallah’s beautifully-taken free-kick came off the crossbar.

Things got even worse for Persepolis — which looked absolutely drained following 90-plus minutes of football — when winger Ehsan Pahlevan received his marching orders for a second bookable challenge in the final minute of extra-time’s first half.

The Reds, however, hang on late to force the match into the shootout, which eventually brought them a place in the Dec. 19 final showdown.

The Iranian champion is far from knowing its final opponent as the East zone sides, having barely completed Matchday 2 of the group stage, are yet to resume the competition.

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