Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ALETIHAD)
A last-minute penalty heartbreak for Al Wahda against Saudi club Al Ittihad denied the Abu Dhabi club a chance to enter the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite in Jeddah on Tuesday night.
Fabinho scored the penalty in the last seconds of the Round of 16 match after 120 minutes of intense action from both sides could not settle the debate.
It took a contentious interpretation of the video footage by the referee to point to the spot after Sasa Ivkovic’s boot met the outstretched leg by Abdulrahman Alobud, coming in from behind and without goalscoring intent. It was an anti-climax that denied a double win for UAE clubs after Shabab Al Ahli had earlier beaten Iranian rivals Tractor 3-0 to advance. Despite three goals, that match did not entertain as much as the latter one.
The second match of the evening was a thorough entertainer with many star names and former Premier League players in the mix. If the hosts Al Ittihad had Fabinho, Moussa Diaby, and Steve Bergwijn then Al Wahda had their tall January signing Christian Benteke providing the solidity in a two-man attack along with Omar Khribin.
Despite a partisan crowd behind Al Ittihad and the players enjoying 68% possession in the first half, it was Al Wahda’s solid defence that soaked in repeated but sloppy attacks. The men for the Abu Dhabi club strove like working ants to retrieve the ball and feed the forwards who were also conservative in their aggression.
At the breather, Al Wahda had the same six shots as Al Ittihad from the limited possession.
The second half saw Al Ittihad trying to make their possession count but still ended up being stymied by the steady Al Wahda defence. The Maroon brigade had beaten Ittihad 2-1 in September during the group stage but under coach Jose Morais, the latter being replaced by Darko Milanic. The Slovenian manager kept his composure well and marshalled his resources ably.
Both sides had one half chance each with Benteke being sent the best through ball of the match but was found offside while Ittihad centre-back Danilo Pereira could direct his header properly from a high cross.
The match went into extra time where substitute Caio Canedo, coming in for Benteke, muffed an easy chance overrunning into a bouncing ball for a volley. That was the easiest chance for any player in the match.
The second part of extra time had a similar chance go abegging for Ittihad when a stinging header this time from Pereira went straight to the goalkeeper Zayed Al Hammadi. Another header from Hassan Kadesh missed the top corner of the goal by inches.
Just when the clock entered the final minute before the penalties, a goalmouth scramble saw Alobud rush in from behind of Ivkovic and the Wahda centre-back connecting with the calf of the Saudi winger.
