Qatar’s Al Sadd players celebrate after qualifying for the quarter-final by a 2-2 draw during their AFC Champions League knock-out stage football match versus Iran’s Foolad at Ghadir stadium of Ahvaz on May 14, 2014. INSET: Al Sadd coach Hussein Ammouta
Al Sadd coach Hussein Ammouta was delighted to see his team’s bold approach pay off as the former winners advanced to the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League on away goals after a thrilling 2-2 draw with Iranian champions Foolad Khouzestan on Wednesday.
The Qatari side had been held to a goalless draw in the first leg in Doha but they grabbed the initiative in the return match at Ghadir Stadium with goals by Nadir Belhadj and Khalfan Ibrahim giving them a 2-0 lead in the opening half-hour.
The visitors were more cautious after the interval and Foolad hit back with a pair of late goals by Chimba after Al Sadd had been reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of defender Abdelkarim Hassan.
However, the 2011 winners hung on to clinch the tie on away goals and secure a spot in the draw for the last eight on May 28.
“I had said before the match that we could qualify,” said Ammouta. “It was a 50-50 chance for either teams before the kick-off but our chance rose to 100% during the match. We took advantage of the conditions in the match and qualified.
“Foolad had a good performance but we did a great job to control their players and we achieved the result we had wanted. Tactically, we performed well although we had failed to obtain the preferred result in the first leg.
“We started to play offensively from the beginning of the match, and it was after our second goal when Foolad lost the tie,” added the Moroccan.
“It was natural for our team to get back into our own half especially when Esmaeel Sharifat came on at the start of the second half. The substitutions by Foolad was the reason why we decided to play with more caution but finally we got what we had come for.”
Tough to take defeat: Faraki
Foolad Khouzestan coach Hossein Faraki was left disappointed after his team’s attempt at a remarkable late comeback against Al Sadd fell just shot as they were eliminated from the AFC Champions League on away goals after a 2-2 draw with the Qatari side on Wednesday.
Having drawn 0-0 in the first leg in Doha, Foolad made a poor start in front of their own fans at Ghadir Stadium as Al Sadd stormed into a 2-0 lead with goals by Nadir Belhadj and Khalfan Ibrahim in the opening half-hour.
The home side hit back after Al Sadd defender Abdelkarim Hassan was sent off with 14 minutes left as Chimba scored twice to level the aggregate score at 2-2. But with Omid Khaledi heading against the woodwork in stoppage time, the Iranian side bowed out of the tournament despite not losing any of their eight games.
“What happened in the match was tough for us as we were beaten by away goals,” said Faraki.
“But that is football is and we are now eliminated from the competition although we were not defeated.
“We equalised against a team which has experienced and professional players with very big contracts,” he added. “Our players lost because of their inexperience and amateurism.
“We didn’t value our chances and that helped our opponent to get past us.”