El Jaish’s Nilmar (left) vies for the ball with Foolad Khouzestan’s Bakhtiar Rahmani during their AFC Champions League match in Doha yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil
By Joseph Koraith/Doha
In the end both teams left the field wondering of what could have been. The AFC Champions League group stage between El Jaish and Foolad Khouzestan ended in a draw yesterday. The first match of the group stage held at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha saw loud support for the El Jaish side with songs and cheers from the 5417 spectators filling up the venue but it came to nought as the local side couldn’t convert their superior possession into a winning goal.
The game began on a cautious note. Both teams were keen to avoid any early mistakes. But El Jaish soon started dominating possession and were starting to make inroads into the Foolad box. This initial period of dominance almost paid off for El Jaish in the ninth minute when their Brazilian forward Nilmar received a cross from the left flank and got his head to the ball. But his header went over the bar. Foolad hit back on the counter attack in the very next minute but the move ended with a shot over the post.
El Jaish then started to control the game and Foolad found themselves firmly in their own half for long periods of the game. El Jaish got another chance in the 27th minute when Nilmar made a good run down the middle and then dinked to the right but, under no pressure, he ended up with a lame lob to the goalkeeper.
For the rest of the first half, the script remained the same. El Jaish dominating the midfield, creating moves down the flank but failing to convert their chances in the final one third of the pitch. Foolad were looking for the elusive counter attack goal but never got one.
The second half began with both teams showing more intent. El Jaish were dominating possession in beginning but Foolad were beginning to show more confidence. They were pressing forward and looking to build their moves rather than wait for the counter attack. This positive intent made the match an open game with it was no longer the one-sided match that it had been in the first half.
But it was still Jaish who got what was probably the best chance of the match for both sides in the 58th minute. The move started down the middle and weaved to the right flank from where the cross came into the box and Mohamed Muntari sent the header in the right direction only to see it hit the post. The ball bounced back favourably to another Jaish player but his header too hit the post. Now that’s what you call a double header that went nowhere.
After that chance, it was the turn of the visitors to gain control of the game and this period also produced a good chance for Foolad. In the 62nd minute, Foolad were able to take advantage of a defensive lapse and rob the Jaish defender of the ball and mount an attack. It was done by none other than Foolad captain Bakhtiar Rahmani. He did all the hard work to create the chance but his cross in front of the goal left a lot to be desired. He was certainly disappointed with that because he could have done better.
Foolad were looking dangerous at this moment and were able to constantly penetrate the Jaish defence but couldn’t get the final shot. This continued till the 75th minute after which it was Jaish’s turn to wrestle back the initiative. Muntari had a chance with a header in the 80th minute but it was a weak one.
Then came the moment of the match which Foolad players will feel aggrieved by. It came off a counter-attack and the visitors surged down the middle, going as far as Jaish’s penalty box before their striker fell down in a tangle with a Jaish defender. The cries for a penalty from the visitors and their fans hit the roof but the referee didn’t concur. The Jaish camp breathed a sigh of relief because it was one of those where a spot kick could have been given.
After this there wasn’t too much of action with the game largely being played in the midfield. The game ended in a draw but both teams would walk away from this one thinking they could have won it. Foolad will feel that they should have gotten a penalty and Jaish will be left ruing the missed chances. So despite having a large percentage of the possession, Jaish will have to share points with Foolad.
But it’s still only the first game in the group stage and Jaish, who next face Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor next month, will hope they can do better in the remaining matches.