Iraq's Air Force Club coach Basim Qasim Hamdan Al Suwaid (centre) raises the trophy as he celebrates on the podium with his team after beating India's Bengaluru FC to win the AFC Asian Cup football final at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium in Doha, yesterday
Doha: Hammadi Ahmed scored the only goal of the game as Air Force Club became the first Iraqi club to claim an AFC Cup title with a 1-0 win over India’s JSW Bengaluru in the 2016 final yeserday at the Qatar SC Stadium.
Hammadi scored in the 70th minute from close-range to secure the trophy for the Iraqi side, who had become the second club from their nation to appear in the AFC Cup final after Arbil finished as runners-up in the 2012 and 2014 editions.
Played out in front of a lively contingent of supporters, many of whom had travelled from India to support Bengaluru, Air Force Club edged an even opening exchange with Amjed Radhi curling a free-kick narrowly wide inside the quarter-hour mark.
The Iraqis found the crucial goal with 20 minutes remaining as Ahmed Kahdim picked out Radhi on the edge of the area, the Iraq international delightfully dancing past three defenders on his way into the box before squaring for Hammadi to fire home his 16th of the tournament.
Radhi then thought he had gone from provider to goalscorer shortly after when Emad Mohsin played him in, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
As time ran out, Bengaluru struggled to create opportunities for the leveller with CK Vineeth failing to connect with Cameron Watson’s free-kick on 89 minutes and, despite their increasing desperation, the I-League side were unable to find a way through and Air Force Club held on to claim an historic victory. The Iraqi club collected $1m while Bengaluru got half of that amount.
