FOOTBALL – Al Nahda stormed to a come-from-behind 3-1 win in extra-time over Riffa in the second leg of the 2023-24 AFC Cup West Zonal semi-final at the Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex in Muscat to wrap up a 4-2 aggregate victory and qualify for April’s two-leg final.
Riffa led 1-0 at half-time, courtesy of a 33rd minute goal by midfielder Ali Hasan Isa, but the Omani club equalised in the 59th minute through forward Walter Bwalya.
Later, after the regulation 90 minutes had ended with the score tied 1-1, striker Hamood Al Sadi put Al Nahda 2-1 ahead in the first half of extra-time before fellow forward Issam Al Sabhi sealed the home side’s win with a goal in the 107th minute.
The two sides had earlier drawn the first leg 1-1 at the Khalifa Sports City Stadium last week.
Al Nahda will now have to wait for the result of tonight’s semi-final between Iraq’s Al Kahrabaa Club and Al Ahed FC of Lebanon to see which team they will play in the final.
Riffa, meanwhile, will rue the many chances they missed throughout the match, starting early in the first half – which they dominated – with midfielder Aymen Harzi sending the ball past the right goalpost in just the second minute of the game and unmarked striker Jaco hitting the ball straight to Al Nahda goalkeeper Ibrahim Al Mukhaini three minutes later.
Al Nahda also had a chance to take the lead when they won a free kick just outside the Riffa box in the 14th minute but midfielder Salaah Al Yahyaei’s stinging attempt bounced off one of the visitors’ defenders.
In the 30th minute, Riffa had a great opportunity to go 1-0 up but Jaco’s leaping header off a corner kick by captain Komail Al Aswad sent the ball just wide of the left goalpost.
Three minutes later, however, Isa made no mistake when he sprinted into the right of the Al Nahda box to latch on to a pass from Jassim Al Shaikh and sent the ball over Mukhaini’s head into the back of the net to put Riffa 1-0 up.
Fourteen minutes into the second half, some ordinary defending by Riffa allowed Bwalya to lob the ball over goalkeeper Mahmood Al Ajmi for the equaliser.
Just 10 minutes later, the Riffa players had their hands on their heads after a header from Jaco rebounded off the bar.
Soon afterwards, Al Nahda came close to scoring their second goal but Al Ajmi saved a blistering attempt by Al Sabhi with midfielder Inters Gui unable to capitalise on the rebound.
But, in the fourth minute of extra-time, Al Nahda finally went 2-1 up when Al Sabhi looped the ball over Al Ajmi and an unmarked Al Sadi headed it home.
Riffa could have equalised six minutes later but Al Aswad’s powerful shot went just wide to the right.
Al Nahda then took a 3-1 lead in the 107th minute when some more poor defending by Riffa allowed Al Sabhi to race alone into the box and evade Al Ajmi before easily tapping the ball into the goal.
Three minutes later, Riffa had a chance to score their second goal but midfielder Ali Haram headed the ball wide from a cross from substitute Vinicius Vargas.
Five minutes later, another opportunity went begging for Riffa when a Jaco header off a cross from Sayed Baqer went over the crossbar.
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