• Qatari champs move up to four points in Group C, while Wehdat stay bottom with one point at the halfway stage

Qatar’s Al Sadd breathed life into their AFC Champions League Group E campaign after beating Al Wehdat 5-2 yesterday. The two teams had met 12 months ago, with Al Sadd winning 3-1 on the night before adding a second win a few days later, meaning Al Wehdat came into yesterday’s game in pursuit of their first win against Qatari opponents in the competition.
The Jordanian side came racing out of the blocks and within the first five minutes they had already recorded three shots, with Mohammed Anas testing goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb from outside the box a minute after he had tried a long range shot that went wide.
At the opposite side of the pitch, it was Abdelkarim Hassan, returning from a one-match suspension, who was the main source of danger, heading over the crossbar once and seeing his second header saved by goalkeeper Ahmed Abdelsattar.
The first goal of the night came midway through the opening half after Ali Asad dribbled his way into the box from the right flank, forcing defender Ahmed Haikal to bring him down to concede a penalty. Akram Afif stepped up and confidently powered home to put Al Sadd in front. As the first half looked headed to end with the solitary goal, Al Wehdat ramped up the pressure and were rewarded for their endeavours generously.
Boulaem Khoukhi’s headed attempt to clear a set-piece only travelled as far as the edge of the penalty box where Ahmed Samir awaited to strike it on the half-volley into the bottom corner, equalising with his second goal of the campaign. Less than 120 seconds later, club captain Monther Abu Amara’s cross from the corner bounced off Haikal and fell for Anas who fired it home first time to put Al Wehdat in front at the break.
Whatever it is that coach Javi Gracia said to his players at the break, it worked magic as Al Sadd came into the second half a different side. The first sign of what was to come was produced by Guilherme who fired a powerful effort from outside the box, forcing a flying save from Abdelsattar eight minutes after the restart.
Ghana international Andre Ayew set up Santi Cazorla just before the hour mark and the Spanish midfielder found the roof of the net with his left from a narrow angle to bring the game level.
The former English Premier League duo swapped roles four minutes later with Cazorla sending a pinpoint cross from the right for Ayew to guide home with a diving header at the near post, putting Al Sadd in the lead in the 62nd minute. The Qatari side were not done yet as Afif drove forward in the 72nd minute, cutting back for Ayew who rifled against the crossbar with his left and the rebound fell for substitute Rodrigo Tabata who calmly headed it into the empty net for 4-2.
At 41 years, 4 months and 27 days, Tabata became the second oldest goal scorer in the AFC Champions League history only behind Tampines Rovers’ Daniel Bennett.
Substitute Mohamed Waad rounded off the scoring, finding the bottom corner with a composed left-footed finish from inside the box to complete the rout. With the victory, Al Sadd move up to four points in the group, while Al Wehdat stay bottom with one point at the halfway point.

Rayyan spoil Sharjah’s party
In Riyadh, Steven N’zonzi was Al Rayyan’s hero as his strike salvaged a 1-1 draw with Sharjah in their AFC Champions League Group A tie.
Bernard’s sublime free-kick separated the sides going into the break before N’zonzi ensured Al Rayyan walked away with a share of the points after scoring from close range. The result leaves the teams on four points at the halfway stage, with both having much to do if they are to advance to the Round of 16.  
Al Rayyan started the match on the backfoot as Sharjah applied the early pressure with the Emirati side coming close on several occasions in the opening minutes.
Bernard, who scored a goal and assisted another in Sharjah’s 2-1 win against Istiklol, was in the thick of the action again when he floated the ball into the six-yard-box in the first minute but Al Rayyan keeper Fahad Younis was able to punch it clear.
Sharjah’s pleas for a penalty were unsuccessful in the sixth minute when Ben Malango, who was clear on goal, was outmuscled by the Al Rayyan defenders inside the box after being fed by Bernard.
Qatar’s Al Rayyan, who fell to a 3-0 defeat against Al Hilal, were struggling to find their rhythm as Bernard had a chance in the ninth minute when he gained possession from just above the box but his long-range effort was easily saved by Younis.
The Qatari outfit barely troubled the Sharjah defence with Steven Nzonzi failing to steer Yacine Brahimi’s cross on target just before the half-hour mark, while Brahimi’s forced effort from inside the box was easily parried away seven minutes later.
Sharjah’s persistence was finally rewarded at the stroke of half-time when Bernard curled in a sublime free-kick from 30 yards out past the Al Rayyan defence with Younis rooted on his line.
Cosmin Ol?roiu’s Sharjah continued their free-flowing football after the break and should have scored in the 52nd minute when Al Hussain Saleh sent a delightful cross into the box but Malango couldn’t keep his shot on target. The UAE side continued their wave of attacks and came close in the 62nd minute when substitute Abdullah Kazim found space on the right flank before sending a teasing cross into the box just beyond the path of an advancing Bernard.
Al Rayyan, however, clawed their way back in the 65th minute when N’zonzi scored off a rebound after Sharjah goalkeeper Adel Alhosani failed to hold on to Yohan Boli’s close-range header off Yacine Brahimi’s corner. Both sides will be eager to bounce back when they meet in the reverse fixture on Tuesday.


Steven N’zonzi’s (left) strike salvaged Al Rayyan a 1-1 draw with Sharjah in Riyadh.