Al Sadd's Akram Afif celebrates after scoring a goal against Al Qadsiah, yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd SC earned their first point in the AFC Champions League (ACL) Elite after Akram Afif’s superb goal was cancelled out by a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia’s Al Qadsiah in Dammam yesterday.
Afif put the Qatari side ahead in the 74th minute, but Julian Quinones equalised 10 minutes later to preserve Al Qadsiah’s unbeaten start and take them to five points.
Al Sadd had suffered back-to-back defeats ahead of the draw at Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium yesterday.
Al Qadsiah’s first chance came in the 13th minute when Mohammed Al Qahtani sent his effort from inside the area narrowly wide after a fine build-up.
Al Sadd responded a minute later, with Mohamed Camara sending Afif through on goal. Shadowed by Al Qadsiah’s Ahmed Al Siyahi, the two-time AFC Player of the Year tried his luck from distance, but his effort drifted just wide of the left post. The Qatari side came close to breaking the deadlock in the 21st minute, with Claudinho setting up Afif to break into the box but the Al Qadsiah defence intercepted his cross towards Roberto Firmino.
Al Qadsiah threatened again in the 38th minute, with Mateo Retegui setting up Quinones, whose effort from inside the box narrowly missed the target before Quinones set up Suleman Sani six minutes later, only for the Nigerian midfielder to pull his effort narrowly wide.
Brendan Rogers’ side carried their threat into the second half, with Quinones heading just wide from Julian Weigl’s corner in the 51st minute, while Yasser Al Shahrani then sent his long-range effort over the bar.
A swift counter-attack presented Al Sadd with two chances in quick succession, Afif surged into the box but shot wide in the 64th minute before Mohammad Al Manai sent his effort over the bar a minute later.
Al Sadd kept probing and were rewarded with the opener in the 74th minute with Afif finding space before unleashing a powerful curling effort into the top right corner to end the Qatari side’s wait for a goal in the League Stage.
But Al Qadsiah refused to give up and levelled the tie 10 minutes later with Bonsu Baah laying the ball nicely for Quinones, whose shot took a deflection off Tarek Salman before crossing past a rooted Meshaal Barsham.
Al Ahli Saudi edge Al Gharafa
In Jeddah, 10-man Al Gharafa suffered a third consecutive defeat after Matheus Goncalves struck a late winner to give Al Ahli Saudi FC a 2-1 victory at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
Ivan Toney put the two-time champions ahead in the fourth minute, lifting Eduard Spertsyan’s through ball over goalkeeper Ahmed Kone.
Al Gharafa fought back after the break, with Florinel Coman equalising in the 53rd minute. Yacine Brahimi started the move with a strong run through the middle before releasing Saif Eldeen Fadlalla, who cut the ball back for Coman to finish.
The Qatari side gained momentum following the equaliser, with Brahimi coming close to putting them ahead. However, their task became harder in the 76th minute when Seydou Sano was sent off after receiving his second yellow card.
Al Ahli made their numerical advantage count four minutes from time. Goncalves collected Saad Al Johani’s cross from the right and curled a superb finish into the bottom left corner to secure all three points.
The win lifted Al Ahli to seven points, while Al Gharafa remain without a point after their third straight defeat.
