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Thursday, December 25, 2025 | Daily Newspaper published by GPPC Doha, Qatar.

Al Ahli players celebrate after their win over PFC Andijon 2-0 at Al Thumama Stadium.

Al Ahli beat Andijon to top group and qualify for last 16

Al Ahli defeated PFC Andijon 2-0 at Al Thumama Stadium to book their AFC Champions League Two round of 16 berth Wednesday. The win meant the Qatari side topped Group B with 10 points while their beaten opponents from Uzbekistan were eliminated. Al Ahli had the better start with Erik Exposito testing Eldor Adkhamov with a curling low shot from distance before the Andijon custodian saved Sekou Yansane’s effort after he had been teed up by Julian Draxler. The home side opened the scoring in the 26th minute when midfielder Michel Vlap stretched his right leg to guide home Draxler’s enticing free-kick past a stranded Adkhamov. Al Ahli had opportunities to take an even bigger lead into the break but efforts from Draxler and Exposito - with Adkhamov already beaten - struck the post before Abdurakhmon Komilov produced an excellent last-ditch challenge to stop Exposito. The second half saw no change in the pattern of play with Al Ahli searching for the second goal with Driss Fettouhi firing a shot from distance which Adkhamov saved. Affording Al Ahli shooting chances from range led to Andijon’s downfall in the 65th minute when Vlap had time and space to unleash a swerving shot that fizzed past Adkhamov. Vlap had the opportunity to seal his hat-trick late on after being put through by Exposito, only to steer his attempt wide but the miss mattered little as Al Ahli earned a deserved victory.Al Sadd never stopped believing, says Mujica Hat-trick hero Rafa Mujica attributed self-belief as the key factor for Al Sadd SC’s dramatic 4-2 comeback win over Shabab Al Ahli in their AFC Champions League Elite tie at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday. Trailing 2-0 following goals from Federico Cartabia and Yahya al-Ghassani, Al Sadd appeared on the brink of elimination before Mujica turned the match on its head with a superb treble, with Tarek Salman adding a fourth as the Qatari side registered their first win of the campaign to keep their hopes alive. “We played a great match and it was truly very difficult,” said Mujica. “We were down by two goals, but the coach gave me confidence and I was able to score three goals. I’m happy that I could help the team and I thank the coach for believing in me.” Head coach Roberto Mancini praised his side’s resilience and determination after the setback, saying the result could provide a turning point for his team. “The match wasn’t easy,” said Mancini. “We were down by two goals, but we came back strong and showed determination until the final minutes. We deserved this important victory. We made a mistake and conceded a penalty, but that’s football, the most important thing is that we kept working. This victory is a good opportunity for us to get back on track - both domestically and continentally. We must continue to work hard.”

Rafa Mujica celebrates with his daughter after his hat-trick helped Al Sadd complete a dramatic win over Shabab Al Ahli in their AFC Champions League Elite tie at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.

Mujica's hat-trick leads Al Sadd to stunning comeback win over Shabab Al Ahli 

Al Sadd staged a stunning fightback as they came from two goals down to beat Shabab Al Ahli 4-2 in their AFC Champions League Elite tie at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.Goals from Federico Cartabia and Yahya al-Ghassani looked to have secured Shabab Al Ahli their round of 16 spot but Rafa Mujica struck a hat-trick with Tarek Salman contributing the fourth as Al Sadd registered their first win of the season to their hopes alive.Qatar’s Al Sadd made four changes from their last match with Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel coming into the lineup with Tarek Salman starting from the bench, while Breno Lemos and Gaston Alvarez returned to Shabab Al Ahli’s midfield with Mateus Lima up front. UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli almost went ahead in the opening minute when Alvarez squared the ball nicely for Cartabia, who could not get to the end of the cross from inside the six-yard-box.The home side went close in the 12th minute when Akram Afif played the ball to Giovani, who weaved his way into the box but fired his effort wide of the left post, while Yuri Cesar forced Al Sadd keeper Meshaal Barsham into a low save moments later.Roberto Mancini’s side stayed calm just before the half-hour mark with Cartabia, Lima and Guilherme Bala all piling on the pressure from inside the area, while a careless backpass from Salman was almost intercepted by Lima but Bersham was quick to clear the danger.Al Sadd were also wasteful upfront with Giovani pulling his effort over the bar after a fine team move in the 42nd minute while at the other end, Barsham was on top of his game again when he deflected Lima’s stinging shot after Bala’s set-up in first half stoppage time.Cesar then came close to finding the opener when he played a neat exchange with Bala at the edge of the area before falling to connect to the midfielder’s cutback.Al Sadd were left stunned two minutes after the break when Mersad Seifi delivered a pinpoint cross to the far post, allowing Cartabia to power home the opener past a rooted Bersham. Shabab Al Ahli almost doubled their tally in the 53rd minute after Cesar played a well-timed through ball for Lima, who struck his shot past Bersham only for the ball to bounce off the bar.The pressure finally told on Al Sadd as they conceded a penalty following Miguel’s foul on Cartabia, with Al Ghassani converting from the spot in the 70th minute. Al Sadd responded five minutes later after a quick throw-in left Afif with space on the left and the forward set-up Mujica to strike past Hamad Al Meqbaali.Boosted by the goal, Al Sadd pushed forward and drew level in the fifth minute of time added on with Salman finishing off Roberto Firmino’s layoff. There was more to come as a lapse in concentration by Shabab Al Ahli saw Mujica weave his way through before slotting past Al Meqbaali six minutes later with Afif then setting up the Spaniard for his hat-trick in the 13th minute of added time to complete the amazing victory.