Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Khalfan Ibrahim could return for Al Sadd as the former AFC Champions League winners prepare to host fellow Qataris Lekhwiya in the first leg of their Round of 16 meeting on Tuesday.
Ibrahim, who was named AFC Player of the Year in 2006 and nominated for the award last year, missed the final round of group matches plus the meeting between the two teams in the semi-final of the Emir’s Cup on Friday with a hip injury.
Al Sadd won that clash 2-0 to qualify for the final of the domestic knockout competition and coach Lhoussanine Ammouta is hoping his team can repeat the performance on Tuesday.
“There is no doubt that we have a tough match against Lekhwiya,” said the club’s Moroccan coach. “It is a difficult match as we hope to continue our good run in the competition but we have to face a strong team who have shown good performances as well.
“The two sides know each other well and I believe that the match will be decided in the small details which we hope we can work on. We should try our best to avoid the mistakes we made in the semi-final of the Emir’s Cup.”
While Ibrahim (pictured celebrating in Al Sadd’s 6-2 win over Lokomotiv) could return, Al Sadd will be without defender Ibrahim Majed, who is out for the rest of the season after having surgery on a foot injury. Jasser Yehia is also missing after picking up a second yellow card of the group stages in the loss against Al Hilal on Matchday Six.
Al Sadd, who won the AFC Champions League in 2011, trailed five points behind Lekhwiya in second place as the Michael Laudrup-coached club won the 2015 Qatar Stars League.
The two teams have played each other four times in domestic action since August last year, with Al Sadd winning three of those meetings, but Ammouta believes a tight tie will be decided over the course of both legs.
“The match on Tuesday will be important but it will not be decisive as there will be a second match to determine the team who will advance to the quarter-finals,” he said.
“The match tomorrow will be different than the four previous meetings that we had this season against Lekhwiya who will try to avenge their last defeat.”
Photo: AFP