Al Sadd players celebrate during the match on Sunday.
Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd’s Qatari star Akram Afif congratulated Wolves’ fans following the team’s thrilling win over Al Hilal at the King Salman Club Cup on Sunday which rejuvenated their chances to enter the quarter-finals in Saudi Arabia.
Al Sadd, coached by Bruno Miguel, achieved a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Saudi Arabian side, bouncing back from a draw with Morocco’s Wydad in their opening match few days earlier.
Al Hilal had taken an early lead through Michael, but Algerian star Baghdad Bounedjah equalised for Al Sadd in the 40th minute before Qatar international Tareq Salman put the visitors ahead in the 51st minute. However, Al Hilal managed to make it two-all with a penalty kick in the 68th minute, courtesy of Salem Al Dosari. With the game seemingly heading towards a draw, in the third minute of stoppage time, Al Sadd’s new recruit Gonzalo Plata scored the decisive winning goal to earn a dramatic win for his new club.
“We are absolutely thrilled with this important triumph over a strong team like Al Hilal. They put up a tough fight and have players of exceptional caliber. However, we handled the match with precision and determination, resulting in a strong performance from our side. Congratulations to our fans,” Afif said after the match.
“This victory is a source of happiness as it boosts our progress in the tournament, and we eagerly look forward to continue with our competitive spirit,” Afif said.
The striker also highlighted the fact that Al Sadd’s physical advantage was the key towards the strong finish of the match.
“Undoubtedly, our training with the coach has been effective. We have only had a few training sessions under his guidance. Nevertheless, our performance has improved, and we are eager to make further progress and achieve more victories in the upcoming matches,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bounedjah expressed his immense joy after securing victory which put the Qatari side at the top of Group B standings.
“It was a highly competitive match, and we succeeded in achieving the victory through a stellar performance from our team. We are thrilled to have secured this triumph, as it strengthens our position in our group in the tournament and propels us forward,” the Algerian said.
“It was an exhilarating match, and I was overjoyed to score the equalising goal, especially at such a crucial moment in the game. I extend my gratitude to Al Hilal’s supporters and offer my apologies if there are any hard feelings,” Bounedjah concluded.
Al Sadd take on Libyan side Al Ahli Tripoli in their last Group B match tomorrow.
