Al Duhail SC’s Qatari forward Almoez Ali heads a goal against Persepolis SC’s Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand during the AFC Champions League football match at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha yesterday.
DOHA: Al Duhail edged Persepolis 1-0 in the first leg of the 2018 AFC Champions League quarter-finals for their record-equalling ninth consecutive win in the tournament in Doha, yesterday.
Young striker Almoez Ali’s goal in the first half at Khalifa International Stadium proved decisive as the Qatar football giants matched the record of South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai tally of nine straight victories back in 2012.
QNB Stars League champions Al Duhail, however, could have earned victory by a better margin had they not missed chances to take a bigger advantage to Tehran for the second leg on September 17.
As promised by head coach Nabil Maaloul, Al Duhail started off aggressively against Persepolis in what was the first-ever clash between the two Asian clubs.
‘The Red Knights’ came close to scoring in the fourth minute but striker Youssef El Arabi failed to connect Nam Tae-hee’s header across the goalmouth.
Al Duhail continued to launch attacks and it was a 15th minute move that yielded result for the hosts. Edmilson, a summer signing for Youssef Msakni, sent in a teasing cross from the left and the unmarked Ali headed in with aplomb to get his second goal of the tournament.
Iran’s domestic champions, Persepolis then came close to equalising in the 23rd minute, but Omid Alishah’s effort flew just wide of Amine Lecomte’s goal.
The match gathered more pace with both teams exchanging attacks but failed to score as Al Duhail took 1-0 lead to the final session.
Although, Persepolis seeking the leveler came back with a renewed energy, it was a similar story in the second half with both teams lacking proper execution after coming close to scoring.
In the 48th minute, Mohammad Ansari’s left footed shot from outside the box sailed over the crossbar following a quick free-kick as Persepolis missed an opportunity to score.
Al Duhail missed a chance when Murad Naji right footed shot from outside the box went high and wide to the right in the 66th minute. A minute later, Edmilson’s right footed shot from a long range went close but missed the target.
In the 77th minute, Al Duhail defender Lucas Mendes tested Alireza Beiranvand’s reflexes with a scorching free-kick, which the latter tipped over the bar for a corner.
With no further scoring in the match, Al Duhail took the 1-0 advantage.
Meanwhile, in other match yesterday, Leo Silva and Serginho scored second-half goals to give Japan’s Kashima Antlers a deserved 2-0 victory over China’s Tianjin Quanjian in the first leg of the AFC Champions League quarter-finals at Kashima Soccer Stadium. The hosts began brightly and had an early sight on goal when Yasushi Endo headed wide from close in after a fine Koki Anzai delivery from the left, and the captain was again off target in the 14th minute as he drilled past the left post.
Endo should have broken the deadlock as the hour approached but, following good work from Silva and Anzai, the skipper fired over from 12 yards, but Brazilian Silva finally opened the scoring on the hour.
Shuto Yamamoto picked out Endo on the edge of the area and the captain’s cushioned header found its way to Silva, who lashed the ball home with a sweetly taken strike from 10 yards.
Kashima continued in the ascendency and Serginho added a stunning second in the 72nd minute when he rocketed a left-foot effort from 25 yards past Zhang to mark his AFC Champions League debut in style.
Tianjin’s star man Alexandre Pato had been quiet for the majority of the game but the Brazilian’s free-kick with 10 minutes remaining picked out Kwon Kyung-won, only for the Korea Republic defender to place his effort wide under pressure.
Kashima will travel to Tianjin for the second leg in three weeks’ time when, just like in the Round of 16 after defeating Shanghai SIPG at home, the Japanese side will have a two-goal lead to defend against Chinese opposition.
