DOHA: Storied Asian outfit Al Hilal stayed neatly on track to additional make stronger their credentials after storming into the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League on Monday. The reigning champions from Saudi Arabia noticed off Shabab Al Ahli of the UAE 3-1 of their last-16 tie at Qatar’s Al Janoub Stadium, as they chase a conceivable 5th continental identify.
Contemporary from their exploits slightly every week in the past within the FIFA Membership International Championship in Morocco the place they completed runners-up to Actual Madrid, they joined compatriots Al Shabab within the final 8 – hoping to win the identify for the 3rd time in 4 years. Al Shabab had certified on Sunday, beating Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf 2-0 after Qatar giants Al Duhail pipped home opponents Al Rayyan 7-6 by means of consequences, following a 1-1 draw after extra-time.
Nigerian Odion Ighalo set issues in movement on Monday for Al Hilal with a scientific seventeenth minute strike after receiving a nice help from Moussa Marega. The fit slackened off for some time prior to Jang Hyun-soo scored with a diving header and Luciano Vietto implemented the of completion to a deft backheeled move from Salem al-Dawsari to make it made it 3-0 with 10 mins last. Syrian striker Omar Khribin pulled one again within the 86th minute however that got here slightly too past due within the day for Al Shabab Al Ahli to mount a major problem.
Iran’s Foolad via
Previous on Monday, Iran’s Foolad Khuzestan scraped into the quarter-finals of courtesy of a cagey 1-0 over Saudi Arabia’s Al Faisaly. All sides had been assembly for the primary time ever within the match and aiming to make up for his or her deficient shape of their respective home leagues the place they’re suffering to stay tempo with their opponents.
Whilst Al Faisaly had been relegated from the Saudi Professional League to the First Department once they made the last-16 of the continental match, Foolad are in 9th place within the Iran Professional League – a whopping 18 issues in the back of leaders Sepahan. However with masses to play for, it used to be Foolad who made the many of the state of affairs with Sasan Ansari’s sixty fourth minute strike proving decisive on the Al Thumama Stadium.
Foolad loved 54 p.c ownership however had handiest 3 pictures heading in the right direction, with Ansari scoring off a kind of with a right-footed shot. Six mins previous, Roberto Torres had his shot stored by means of the Al Fasaily goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Kassar in spite of being wrong-footed by means of a deflection. Torres used to be a relentless thorn for the Saudi aspect, the Spaniard going shut on the 30-minute mark, his curling free-kick from about 25 yards out simply lacking the submit Al Faisaly, however, slightly produced a shot heading in the right direction as they struggled to crack the Iranians’ protection.
Foolad’s second of pleasure got here within the sixty fourth minute when some lacklustre protecting by means of Waleed al-Ahmed noticed Ansari grasp the ball and deposit it into the online from shut. Al-Ahmed can have compensated for his blunder one minute prior to the overall whistle however his nice headed try off a very good Abdulla Al-Qahtani nook simply ignored the objective. The final 8 suits will likely be hung on Thursday with the semi-final scheduled for Feb 26. The winners will tackle Japan’s Urawa Reds in a two-legged last to be performed on April 29 and Might 6. – AFP