Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Former AFC Player of the Year Khalfan Ibrahim scored twice as Al Sadd surged three points clear at the top of Group C of the AFC Champions League after the Qatari side romped to a 6-2 win over Uzbek Cup holders Lokomotiv at Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday.
Despite the visitors enjoying the majority of possession in the game, Al Sadd raced into a three-goal lead at the interval with Ibrahim converting a 27th minute penalty before Hasan Al Haydos and Nadir Belhadj scored on counter-attacks late in the half.
Ibrahim headed in his second of the game early in the second half and Abdelkarim Hassan and Grafite also got on the scoresheet for the 2011 champions while Damir Kojasevic and Jasur J.Hasanov netted consolation goals for the Uzbek side.
Al Sadd have seven points from three games and a three-point advantage over second-placed Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, who drew 0-0 with Foolad Khouzestan in Iran earlier on Tuesday.
Lokomotiv began the match with just a single point from their first two games but they made much of the early running and could have taken the lead in the 12th minute when Nemanja Janicic rose high in the six-yard box to meet an inviting cross from the right but could only send his header straight at goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb.
That miss would prove costly when Al Sadd were awarded a penalty in the 27th minute after Shavkatjon Mulladjanov scythed down Hassan on the left edge of the Lokomotiv box. Ibrahim made no mistake from the spot, firing down the middle as goalkeeper Mamur Irkamov dived to his right.
Al Sadd extended their lead in the 34th minute when they caught the visitors on the counter-attack with Muriqui playing in Al Haydos who rifled the ball past Irkamov from the right edge of the box.
Belhadj then made it 3-0 in the 40th minute when he received the ball from Ibrahim on the left of the Lokomotiv box and curled a delightful effort into the far corner.
Lokomotiv were denied again when Hassan blocked a goal-bound effort by Temurkhuja Abdukholikov on the goalline right at the start of the second half and their misery was compounded when Al Sadd extended their lead in the 50th minute after Muriqui cut the ball back from the left byline for Ibrahim to head in his second goal of the game and third of the Group Stage.
Lokomotiv would pull a goal back in the 57th minute when substitute Damir Kojasevic curled in a delightful free-kick from 20 metres but two quick goals by the hosts would put the match well out of their reach.
First, Hassan launched a spectacular 40-metre chip from the left touchline over the head of Irkamov into the far corner of the net and then Grafite turned in the rebound after Ali Asadalla’s attempt had come back off the upright.
Khasanov would get another goal back for Lokomotiv from the penalty spot after Hassan had handled in his box but it was mere consolation for the Uzbek side who remained at the bottom of Group C.
Photo: WSG