TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Zob Ahan defeated Aizawl of India 3-1 in the AFC Champions League play-off on Tuesday.

Mehdi Rajabzadeh gave the hosts a 1-0 lead with a penalty only three minutes into the game.

Andre Ionescu equalized the match in the 20th minute, but striker Morteza Tabrizi scored a brace in the 83rd and 90th minute respectively to stamp the authority.

"I am very happy to advance to the ACL group stage. We were under pressure because the Indian team played very defensively," Zob Ahan coach Amir Ghalenoei said.

Zob Ahan advanced to the AFC Champions League Group B, where the team will face Qatar's Al Duhail, Al Wahda of the UAE, and Lokomotiv Tashkent of Uzbekistan.