DOHA (Qatar): Al Ain FC put an end to a run of five consecutive losses in the competition when they shared the spoils in an exciting 3-3 draw with Qatar’s Al Sadd in a Group D match of AFC Champions League on Tuesday.
The two sides went into the game with contrasting fortunes, with Al Ain needing to pick up points after opening their campaign with two losses while Al Sadd needed to consolidate their positionA the top of Group D.
Despite not playing a competitive match in the past six months, the inaugural AFC Champions League winners took just five minutes to open the scoring, when Togolese striker Kodjo Laba met debutant Wilson Eduardo’s low cross to slot past Qatar international Saad Al Sheeb.
It was end to end from that moment on, as Al Sadd looked to reply in kind with the biggest chance coming down to captain Hassan Al Haydos on the right, but he slipped before managing a shot. At the other end of the pitch, Al Sheeb needed to come out of his area to head a long ball away from Laba.
Al Sadd equalised just after the half hour mark when 2019 AFC Footballer of the Year Akram Afif fired in a right footed shot into the bottom corner.
Al Ain replied instantly through Kazakhstan international midfielder Bauyrzhan Islamkhan, who controlled the ball a few yards outside Al Sadd’s area, before firing in a shot that took Al Sheeb by surprise – the Qatari keeper rose to meet it to no avail as the ball crept just under the crossbar. (Source: AFC)
