FOOTBALL – Al Ittihad Club edged Al Wahda FC 1-0 to advance to the AFC Champions League Elite yesterday.
Fabinho scored the winner from the penalty spot in the final seconds of extra-time as Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad booked a meeting with Japan’s FC Machida Zelvia in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Backed by a partisan home crowd at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Al Ittihad started brightly with a Steven Bergwijn free-kick in the 11th minute causing confusion in the Al Wahda box but Stephane Keller’s volley was deflected into the side netting.
At the other end, an Al Wahda counter attack a minute later saw Hassan Kadish diverting Ruben Canedo’s cross towards his own goalmouth but the centre-back was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief as goalkeeper Pedrag Rajkovic was alert to the danger.
The game turned cagey thereafter with neither side able to carve out clear chances though a momentarily lapse of concentration by Mario Mintaj in the 33rd minute nearly gifted Al Wahda the opening goal.
The left-back dallied on the ball in his own box, unaware that Abdulla Hamad was closing in on his blind side, with the 24-year-old winning possession only to see his attempted cutback quickly closed down by Rajkovic.
Al Wahda had the ball in the net five minutes into the second half through Christian Benteke’s strike but the former Aston Villa and Liverpool striker was deemed to have fouled Rajkovic in the process.
Another chance went begging for the UAE side two minutes before the hour mark when Facundo Kruspzky put too much power in his header from Dusan Tadic’s cross as the ball sailed over the bar.
Al Ittihad spurned an opportunity of their own late on when Danilo climbed highest to meet Roger Fernandes’ inswinging corner delivery but could only direct the ball wide of the post as the match went into extra-time.
Zayed Ahmed pulled off an instinctive save in the 108th minute to parry away Danilo’s point-blank header after the midfielder was perfectly picked out by Fernandes from the left flank and with no breakthrough forthcoming, penalties were needed to decide the winner.
Al Ittihad, however, finally found a way through with Fabinho slotting in the last-gasp penalty after Sasa Ivkovic had fouled Abdulrahman Alobud.
In another match, Shabab Al Ahli booked their place in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite with a 3-0 win over 10-man Tractor FC from Iran to set up a clash with Thailand’s Buriram United.
Alireza Beiranvand’s 52nd minute sending off for a foul on Sardar Azmoun turned the game in favour of Paulo Sousa’s Emirati side with Yuri Cesar scoring from the penalty spot 13 minutes later before Saeid Ezatolahi doubled the lead 10 minutes from time.
Mateusao put the seal on Shabab Al Ahli’s victory with his side’s third eight minutes into stoppage time.
The win takes the side from Dubai into the last eight for the first time since 2015 and Sousa’s team will meet the reigning Thai champions at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium on Friday.
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