QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune Dan Evans QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune shocks Novak Djokovic to enter quarters in Monaco FRIday, APRIL 16, 2021 page 11 AFC Champions League: Al Duhail score impressive win over Al Shorta, top group AFC Jeddah

Al Duhail made a successful start to their 2021 AFC Cham- pions League group stage cam- paign, easing to a 2-0 win over Al Shorta of on Thursday. In control for much of the match, the Qatari club went ahead through a Hassam Ka- dhim own goal nine minutes before half-time before a pic- turesque vol- ley made the points all but safe in the 53rd minute. The result installs Al Duhail as the early leaders in Group C, with only the group winners and three best runners-up to advance to the knockout stage from the West Zone. Al Duhail began in the as- cendancy, although it didn’t immediately translate into goalmouth action in a cagey opening period. Action from the Al Duhail vs Al Shorta Group C AFC Champions League It took until the 17th min- match played at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Thursday. ute for the game’s first shot to materialise; a scuffed ef- bear fruit, they did usher in a Unable to create a single fort from Al Duhail’s Michael period of greater control for Al chance of their own in the Olunga, but they went much Duhail, whose pressure even- opening 45 minutes, Al Shorta Al Duhail star (2nd L) and other players celebrate their win at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Thursday. closer to breaking the dead- tually produced the opening now had to chase the game, lock through five goal in the 36th minute, when and that task became consid- hail’s passing and movement Aleksandar Ilic’s side be- to rattle the woodwork in the while Al Duhail will face group minutes later, with the Ira- Olunga and Karimi played a erably more difficult when stretching the Al Shorta de- gan to look more directly for a 73rd minute. hosts Al Ahli Saudi FC in their nian’s instinctive header fizz- neat one-two, with Olunga’s ’s men went fence, and Almoez Ali having a way back into the match, and That proved to be Al second match. ing wide from close range after shot ending up in the back of further ahead eight minutes shot blocked before Edmllson they nearly found a break- Shorta’s clearest chance at re- he latched on Ismail Moham- the net via the foot of Kadhim, into the second half. Junior showed excellent tech- through of their own through ducing the deficit, with their Scoreline: Al Duhail 2 (Hassam mad’s cross. who was credited with an own There were similarities nique to lash home a volley , only for the substi- attention now turning to Sun- Kadhim (OG) 36’, Edmilson While those chances didn’t goal. with the first goal, with Al Du- from just short of 15 yards. tute’s rasping 20-yard effort day’s clash with Esteghlal FC, Junior 53’) bt Al Shorta 0. Coach Xavi says Al Sadd must improve in the next game

Agencies “We then conceded a goal, of the best players in said: “This is something I can- Riyadh and it became difficult because and in Asia. But this is not an not understand. I cannot im- their morale was high and excuse for the draw today. We agine that the fans in Qatar Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernan- were more organised, but we still dominated the game, con- could not watch the match, dez expressed his dissatisfac- changed the system by putting trolled possession and created this is not logical.” tion after his side’s 1-1 draw Khoukhi in front, and eventu- more chances than the oppo- Meanwhile, Khoukhi with Iranian side Foolad ally scored.” nent. We didn’t do very well, Boualem said the draw was Khouzestan in their first round Al Sadd had to play with- but we didn’t perform badly, better than a loss. “It’s bet- clash in Group D of the 2021 out the influential , and we need to improve.” ter to draw than to lose. We AFC Champions League on who missed the match because The Al Sadd coach added: played well and controlled the Wednesday. of injury, but Xavi said that “We are playing against the game against a team that de- Speaking during the post- wasn’t an excuse and urged his best teams in Asia, and today fended strongly. We tried and match press conference, Xavi side to do better. we got a point that may be got many chances but fortune said: “I am unhappy with the “It’s not a bad point, useful in the future. We must didn’t favour us.” result we got. Our goal was to because Al Nassr and Al We- improve in the next match and He added: “Every match win. We played against a diffi- hdat also drew. We have to compete better.” has its own circumstances. To- cult and effective team, and we keep going even though we are Xavi also had some words day we played against a team competed strongly. not happy. on the pitch conditions. “The that defends well and it was “We are not happy, be- “I talked about how diffi- ground condition was not our first game in the tourna- cause our target for this match cult this group was. This is the good and did not help us play ment. We will work on correct- was to get all three points,” AFC Champions League, and in our usual way. We faced ing our mistakes in our next said Xavi. “We started well, we’re playing against the best many difficulties because of game against Al Nassr.” and then in the last few min- teams in Asia, this is the real- that, and the AFC should pay “We will prepare well for Al Rayyan’s French coach Laurent Blamc during the team’s Group E AFC Champions League match against utes of the first half, they dom- ity. We are going to improve, attention to that.” facing Al Nassr and of course, FC Goa in Fatorda, Goa, on Wednesday. Al Rayyan play of on Saturday at 8pm. inated a little bit with set-piec- recover and keep going. Asked about the unavail- it will be tough for both teams. es, but we knew that was how “We are going to miss ability of the broadcast of the Our goal is to win and get the they were going to play. Akram Afif for sure, he’s one match for Qatari fans, Xavi three points.” Al Rayyan’s Blanc regrets missing out on win in opener AFC rando. “I’m happy with this citing that Goa showed resil- Goa point but overall, we need to ience and the humidity played improve in certain aspects of a part in Al Rayyan’s inability Head coach Juan Ferrando our game. to find the net. wants FC Goa to be more ad- “We need to work on our “The weather and humid- venturous in attack following offensive approach. This is the ity played a huge impact on Al their 0-0 stalemate in their AFC Champions League and Rayyan’s level of performance 2021 AFC Champions League it’s necessary to prepare our- today,” said Blanc. “We did Group E opener against Qa- selves for the best in Asia.” not take advantage of the op- tar’s Al Rayyan on Wednesday. Ferrando has been associ- portunities at the beginning of Al Rayyan had plenty of ated with the Indian football the match and that made our chances to score but failed ecosystem for a year and the task even more difficult.” to capitalise as Goa, who had 40-year-old Spaniard ex- “Of course that gave Goa limited opportunities upfront, plained the importance of this the confidence despite we kept their opponents at bay. milestone for Goa and Indian controlling 70 per cent of the Despite the points being football. match. shared at their Pandit Jawa- “This is a good moment for “We could have achieved harlal Nehru Stadium home us and especially Indian foot- victory, but there was no ex- ground, Ferrando’s charges ball. Five, six years ago when ploitation of the opportunities created history as they an- you’re talking about Indian we had. We lost two points nounced their arrival into football it was different. We today, and we have to win the AFC Champions League have to go step by step and against Persepolis.” group stage. continue improving. This is Blanc’s men will face “We played against a very not our limit and we have to Persepolis of Islamic Repub- good team today, against Lau- improve more.” lic of Iran on Saturday, while rent Blanc, who won the FIFA Blanc, however, had a dif- FC Goa will take on UAE’s Al Sadd players ahead of a training session on Thursday. Al Sadd will play Saudi club Al Nassr next on Saturday at 9pm. World Cup in 1998,” said Fer- ferent outlook to the match, Al Wahda.