Muntari sparkles as Ittihad trounce Sepahan

Sulley Muntari climbed off the bench to help two-time AFC Champions League winners Al Ittihad beat Iranian side Foolad Mobarekeh Sepahan 4-0 on to keep their 2016 campaign alive.

The Ghana midfielder replaced Gosay Saad Al Shelali on 73 when they were 1-0 up thanks to Abdulrahman Al Ghamdi.

Fahad Al Muwallad netted seven minutes from time to double their lead.

Al Ghamdi then added a third four minutes before the end and Gelmin Rivas completed the rout on the stroke of full time.

The defeat meant the Iranian side, runners-up to Urawa Reds in 2007, cannot advance to the last 16 of the competition while Al Ittihad moved to within two points of second-placed Al Nasr with only one round of Group A matches remaining.

Al Ittihad and Sepahan meet again in two weeks' time and Victor Piturca’s team must win again to have any chance of overhauling Al Nasr while the win for the Saudis also meant group leaders Lokomotiv will have to wait until Matchday Six before confirming their place in the next phase.