Al Gharafa players celebrate their win over Al Ain with a team selfie and Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins (right)
Doha, Qatar: Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins lauded his team following an impressive 4-2 victory over reigning continental champions Al Ain, saying that his squad is improving with every match.
The Cheetahs took a commanding 2-0 lead, thanks to a brace from Joselu, but had to fend off a strong comeback from the UAE giants, with goals from Alejandro Romero and Soufiane Rahimi. Despite this, Seydou Sano and Yacine Brahimi ensured Al Gharafa’s first victory in the AFC Champions League Elite, securing a memorable win at Al Bayt Stadium on Tuesday night.
After suffering a 3-0 defeat to Iran’s Esteghlal in their opening match, Martins was thrilled with his team’s turnaround.
“We were phenomenal in the match and deserved to win against Al Ain,” said the coach.
“I’m delighted by the fact that the team is showing improvement with every game, which is crucial as we aim for a successful season. Al Ain did well to level the scores after we took a two-goal lead, but that wasn’t surprising because they are a strong side and won the title last year. However, what matters is that we responded by scoring two more goals to achieve this wonderful win,” Martins added.
“Even after we conceded those quick goals, I remained confident that the team could win, and they proved me right.”
Joselu, the star of the match, was pleased to play a crucial role in the victory.
“We needed this win. I’m happy I scored, but the most important thing is that the team achieved the victory. We lost our last game in the league, so it was important to show we can play as a unit. We performed well and scored four goals,” the Spanish forward said.
“Now, we need to focus on what lies ahead.”
Al Gharafa’s next AFC Champions League Elite match is scheduled for October 22 against UAE’s Al Wasl Club at Al Bayt Stadium. But their immediate attention will be on Saturday’s QSL Cup match against Umm Salal.
