Doha: Goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb was Al Sadd’s hero as he saved Riffa defender Ozeia’s penalty in sudden death to take the 2011 winners into the final round of the AFC Champions League play-off as they defeated their Bahraini visitors 11-10 on penalties following a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes in yesterday’s preliminary round encounter.
After a lengthy spot-kick shootout, the scores were tied at 10 apiece when Khalfan Ibrahim scored for a second time before Brazilian Ozeia failed with the decisive penalty attempt at the Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.
Al Sadd, who will look to make it their 10th appearance in the continental competition after reaching the quarter-finals last year, will now travel to the United Arab Emirates next Tuesday to face Abu Dhabi club Al Wahda for a place in Group A.
Yesterday, Al Sadd had the upper hand right from kick-off and dominated possession for almost the entirety of the first half but were unable to score.
After the interval, Al Sadd looked to maintain the pressure but Riffa managed to break the stranglehold somewhat and tried to create some danger for the Qataris.
Unable to end the stalemate in the regulation 90 minutes, the match went into extra-time and in the very last minute of the extra 30, Ibrahim came very close to scoring but his powerful right-foot volley rebound off the post.
With no winner still decided, the match went into a penalty shootout and after 11 takers a side and the scores level at 10-10, Ibrahim was able to find the net from the spot once more but Ozeia, who had missed earlier in the shootout, proved to have no such luck.
Meanwhile, El Jaish struggled to deal with an organised Al Nahda side but the Qataris narrowly edged the visitors from Oman 2-1 — keeping alive their hopes for a third straight appearance in the group stage of the AFC Champions League.
Ely Cheikh Samba El Voullany had given the Oman champions a fourth-minute lead at the Al Gharafa Stadium and they held out against their hosts’ continued bombardment for a further 74 minutes before succumbing to Brazilian striker Wagner Ribeiro’s leveler. His compatriot Romarinho then snatched victory for El Jaish with a goal in stoppage time to book his side a meeting with Iranian side Naft Tehran next Tuesday for a place in Group B of the AFC Champions League.
THE PENINSULA
