Sports Tuesday, September 15, 2020 13 Excited Al Sadd ready for challenge

Tribune News Network When asked about Akram Afif’s fitness, said: “All the players are ready, and Akram Table topper in league stage is in good condition. We are of AFC Champions League only missing Salem Al Hajri 2020 Group D, ’s Al Sadd and Ali Asad, who need more will be keen to continue their time to recover from injury.” good show post the unwanted The benefit of having pandemic break against for- played lately was underlined mer AFC Champions League by Al Sadd’s defender Ab- winners Al Ain FC of the UAE delkarim Hassan. when the two sides go head-to- “We have benefitted a lot head at the Jassim bin Hamad from the resumption of the Qa- Stadium on Tuesday. tari league and the early start Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez (right) and Abdelkarim Hasan at the Al Sadd, known as the to training, and this gives us press conference on Monday. Wolves, have four points with more readiness than the rest of a win and draw to their credit the teams,” said the tall player di Arabia’s Al Nassr 2-1 on suspension of the competi- while Al Ain are still seeking sitting alongside his coach. Matchday Two. tion, and with the joint worst their first win having lost the The two sides met in the Al Sadd, on the other hand, goal difference figure in the first two. 2002-03 edition of the AFC needed an own goal from Al competition. Guided by coach Xavi Her- Champions League, a match Nassr’s Abdulelah Al Amri This will be the first com- nandez, the Wolves have the that ended in a 2-0 win for to salvage a draw away from petitive match for the 13-time advantage of playing on home the UAE Pro League side home on Matchday One, be- UAE Pro League champions turf besides playing in the QNB courtesy of Kandia Traore fore going on to beat Sepahan since March 14, after which Stars League season which just and Boubacer Sanogo’s by a 3-0 scoreline thanks to UAE football came to a halt ended. That apart, Al Sadd will Al Sadd’s (centre) speaks to skipper Hassan Al Haydos during practice on Monday. strikes. The Emiratis went on Akram Afif’s chip and captain due to the COVID-19 pandem- need to move into higher gear to lift the trophy that year. Hassan Al Haydos’ brace in the ic. Al Sadd resumed domestic given the level of competition. players as well. We are train- two editions of the Champions son. They have a good coach The 2020 edition started second half. football in late July. Xavi exuded confidence ing well and we will forward League, we reached the semi- and a lot of good local and for- in a difficult manner for Al Ain Fortunes have differed for The Qatari giants, who while speaking at the pre- to a strong start, in a compe- finals, and everyone is dream- eign players, but we are ready with a 4-0 defeat to Sepahan the two in the first two games have reached the semi-finals match press conference, say- tition that will be difficult for ing of reaching the final. We to compete.” FC at home. of the group - Al Sadd are on in the past two editions, while ing: “We are very excited to everyone.” are now playing at our home He, however, added. “I Coach ’s top with four points from two Al Ain need a win to take them start. Al Sadd is at the top of “I’m happy with what the and this is good for us.” know everyone is excited ‬but men then slightly improved games while Al Ain sit at the back into contention for quali- the group. We have a lot of team’s performance at the About Al Ain, he said, “It is we have to be calm, and go on that performance, but not bottom of the group having fication to the Round of 16 for youngsters and experienced start of this season. In the last a different team from last sea- game by game, step by step.” enough as they lost to Sau- lost both matches prior to the the tenth time in their history.

Air-conditioning Late drama seals Hilal helped us win, says Zaragoza

AFC win over Pakhtakor Doha Marko AFC Shabab Al Ahli FC Marin Doha recorded their first win of the 2020 AFC Champions League, A late strike beating Shahr Khodro FC helped Al Hilal SFC down 1-0 at in 10-man Pakhtakor in a live- Group B on Monday. ly 2020 AFC Champions The match marked Shabab League Group B encounter Al Ahli’s return to competitive that ended 2-1 at Al Janoub action for the first time since Stadium on Monday. March, when the UAE Pro Both sides were positive League season was abandoned from the start as the Uzbek to limit the spread of COVID-19 champions and the Saudi and head coach Gerard Zarago- Pro League champions set za was pleased with his side’s Marin fires out to gain further ground performance on the night. on Shabab Al Ahli Dubai and “I would like to congratu- Shahr Khodro FC, the former late my players who played having narrowly beaten the really well in our first com- Saudi’s Al Ahli latter in the early Group B petitive match in six months. game on Monday. They fought hard and earned Less than five minutes the three points,” said the into last 16 into the match, Yasser Al Spaniard. Shahrani took a shot from “It was not easy for us to a very tight angle down the play after such a long break. Agencies the sidelines. I am happy that left flank, but keeper Eldor- “We trained and prepared Doha I am fit again and fully recov- bek Suyonov parried it in extremely hot weather in ered after weeks of absence out for a corner that al- UAE, but today we played in Former Germany and Chel- from training. most resulted in an opener an air-conditioned stadium sea midfielder “It was a difficult injury from 2019 AFC Champi- which made things easier for struck the only goal of the and I am happy to start the ons League top scorer us, especially in transitions match as ’s Al competition with a win against Bafetimbi Gomis’ header. between defence and attack.” Ahli beat ’s Al Shorta to a strong team like Al Shorta. It A few minutes later, Al Both sides will be in dire become the first team to qual- was a great performance and Hilal keeper Abdullah Al need of a result when they ify for the knockout phase of we are happy to get the win,” Mayouf’s error was almost face-off again on Thursday, the Asian Champions League he added. instantly punished when with a defeat spelling elimi- on Monday. In a lively start to the Igor Sergeev snatched the nation for Shahr Khodro. and Two-times runners-up Al match at Khalifa Internation- ball and took a shot that was leaving qualification out of Ahli progressed to the last 16 al Stadium, the Saudis’ first tipped away by the Saudi Al Hilal Saudi FC player celebrates scoring the first goal against Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor Shabab Al Ahli’s own hands. after the UAE’s Al Wahda were attempt on target came just Arabia keeper. FK in the Group B encounter of the AFC Champions League 2020 at the Al Janoub Stadium on Monday. considered withdrawn from four minutes into the game Former Juventus and To- Match report on page 14  Group A as they failed to travel with head- ronto FC forward Sebastian damov’s sliced shot from the Almost instantly, the Uz- and ended up in the net in to Qatar following several pos- ing Abdullah Tarmin’s cross Giovinco broke the dead- right wing. bek side rallied at the other the sixth minute of the added itive tests among the squad for straight into the hands of lock deep into first half in- Goalkeeper Suyonov was end of the pitch and replied time of seven minutes. Covid-19. goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. jury time with a beautifully sent off on 65 minutes after with a goal as substitute The result sends Al Hilal That meant the Saudi side Al Shorta delivered a curled free-kick executed running off his line to counter striker Eren Derdiyok blast- three points clear at the top had to secure only three points strong response two minutes from just outside the opposi- Gomis who had just received a ed in the rebound from Al of the group with nine points, to guarantee a top-two finish later, coming within inches of tion penalty area. through ball, handling the ball Mayouf’s initial save of Dra- while Pakhtakor stay second in the three-team group, and scoring as Karrar Amer rose The second half started outside the box in the process gan Ceran’s effort. with six points. The two sides Marin’s 87th-minute strike highest to power a header from off with several half chances and prompting the referee to Bahabri finally broke the face off again on Thursday in from close following a pass Ahmed Jalal’s in-swinging cor- though the threat level for produce the red card instantly. draw and gave his side the Matchday Four. from Abdulrahman Ghareeb ner, drawing a fine reflex save either side was relatively Substitute keeper Sanzar Kuv- three points after control- Scoreline: Al Hilal 2 (Se- ensured just that at the Khalifa on the goal-line from goal- low, yet Pakhtakor came vatov was brought on to fill the ling the ball on the edge of bastian Giovinco 45+2’, Hattan International Stadium. keeper Mohammed Al Owais. closest before the hour mark Suyonov’s place, and Khamda- the area and firing a howit- Bahebri 90+7’) bt Pakhtakor 1 Shabab Al Ahli Dubai FC head In a fast-paced match both Iraqi international right- through Dostonbek Kham- mov was taken off to make way. zer which took a deflection, (Sren Derdiyok 70’). coach Gerard Zaragoza. teams missed close chances back Ali Mhawi was booked with the goalkeepers called in the 25th minute following into play several times. a heavy challenge on Al Ahli’s Al Shorta were reduced Abdulbaset Al Hindi in the to 10 men seconds before the middle of the pitch. first half ended with Ali Mha- Centre-back Amer con- Al Nassr will aim to put it past Sepahan wi earning his second yellow tinued to be Al Shorta’s main card, but that didn’t seem to source of threat as he got AFC Two with a 2-1 win. If Al Nassr do win, it will matter much as the Iraqis still on the end of another cor- Doha Domestically, Al Nassr lost be their first victory against managed to create pressure ner, firing goalward from a their Saudi Pro League title to Iranian opposition in six at- for their rivals. tight angle, but the number ’s Sepahan FC will face rivals Al Hilal, finishing sec- tempts, a run that stretches However, Al Ahli gained three watched as his effort Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in ond in 2019-20. all the way back to 2015, while control towards the final 20 was saved by Al Owais, and Group D at Jassim bin Hamad Meanwhile Sepahan end- Sepahan have lost their last minutes and following an ex- upon receiving the spilled ball Stadium in the second clash of ed the season fifth despite a three matches against Saudi change of passes Marin pro- Amer hit the side netting in the evening on Tuesday. blistering start that saw them opposition without scoring a duced a calm finish from six the 33rd minute. Sepahan’s fortunes have go unbeaten in their first 15 single goal, conceding seven in yards to help his team earn Mhawi’s booking from drastically shifted from Match- matches in the Iran Pro League. the process. three points. earlier in the half would prove day One to Matchday Two, With a point separating the Marin, who was named to be an important moment as having started the campaign duo, a win is paramount to ei- Today’s Matches player of the match, was de- the Al Shorta defender used off with a 4-0 defeat of former ther side’s efforts of advancing Group C lighted with his team’s win. his hand to intercept a Ma- champions Al Ain FC before to the Round of 16 before they “Of course, I am very hap- rin pass with seconds left in succumbing to a 3-0 loss at the meet again three days later. (at Education City Stadium) py to be named player of the the opening period, earning hands of Al Sadd SC. The two sides have never 6pm: Al Duhail vs match, but I have many other a second yellow card and his In turn, Al Nassr kicked met before in the AFC Cham- 9pm: Persepolis vs Al Taawoun reasons to be happy,” said Ma- marching orders. their 2020 AFC Champions pions League, with the Isfahan Group D rin, who played in the 2010 Despite their numerical League journey off with a 2-2 based side representing the (at ) World Cup for Germany. disadvantage, Al Shorta piled draw against Al Sadd, be- fourth Iranian opposition Al 6pm: Al Ain vs Al Sadd “I am happy to play an of- the pressure on their oppo- fore bagging all three points Nassr will have faced in the ficial game after a long time on nents early after the restart. against Al Ain on Matchday competition. 9pm: Sepahan vs Al Nassr