Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai secured their first win in sensational style, after big beated Al-Gharafa 8-2 in the AFC Champions League 2022 group stage, Group C at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah.
Shabab Al Ahli found the breakthrough in the 14th minute from Thomas Olsen, who scored his first goal of the campaign after 2016 AFC Player of the Year Omar Abdulrahman’s shot was parried into the path of the Norwegian who headed into the back of the net.
There was little time for Shabab Al Ahli to celebrate as Al Gharafa responded two minutes later when Sofiane Hanni took a quick free-kick to release Ahmed Alaaeldin who outran his defender and calmly chipped the ball over Majed Naser for the equaliser and his second of the campaign.
Olsen was on target again five minutes from half-time after heading in his second goal from inside the six-yard box. Italian Federico Cartabia made a marauding run on the left to provide a pinpoint cross to the Norwegian who made no mistake from close range to extend his side’s lead.
The goal gave the Emirati side the impetus to search for a two-goal cushion and it came two minutes later, thanks largely to Harib Abdalla’s individual brilliance.
The midfielder outwitted his defender with a cheeky back flick to give himself space to run inside the box and release a low left-footed drive into the bottom right corner beyond an outstretched Yousef as Shabab Al Ahli entered the break with a comfortable lead.
Shabab Al Ahli started the second half in the best possible way when they scored two goals in two minutes to put the match beyond the reach of Al Gharafa.
Azizjon Ganiev’s free-kick in the 50th minute took a huge deflection from the one-man wall which lobbed into the top right corner, leaving Al Gharafa’s goalkeeper Yousef flat footed.
Minutes later, it was Cartabia who connected with Omar’s low cross from the right to slip the ball into the bottom right corner as Shabab Al Ahli extended their lead to four goals with 20 minutes to play.
There was a small reprieve for Al Gharafa in the 57th minute when they were given a penalty after Mohammed Jaber handled the ball as Sofiane Hanni stepped up to score the Qatari’s side second goal.
Shabab Al Ahli continued to go on the attack, this time Muhammad Juma slotting home in the 66th minute before Abdelaziz Sanqour scored a wonderful goal from outside the penalty box for the seventh goal.
Ganiev ended the night with his second goal from a free-kick, curling the ball superbly over the wall and beyond the reach of Yousef as Shabab Al Ahli claimed their first victory of the campaign in emphatic style.
Source : AFC
Credit Photo : AFC
