Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: A combination of excellent goalkeeping and poor finishing denied play-off winners Al Shabab Al Arabi an opening win in Group D of the 2012 AFC Champions League after Qatar's Al Gharafa were fortunate to leave Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium with a goalless draw on Wednesday.
Al Gharafa started brightly through Brazilian striker Diego Tardelli, although the visitors were indebted to goalkeeper Qasem Burhan as the visiting custodian denied Azizbek Haydarov and Walid Abbas in the first half.
Al Gharafa substitute goalkeeper Abdulaziz Ali, who replaced the injured Burhan 10 minutes before half-time, kept the scores level with a spectacular second half save from Ciel (Jociel Ferreira da Silva), although the Brazilian wasted two clear cut chances in the second 45 minutes for the home side.
Tardelli twice came close to an opening for Al Gharafa midway through the first half, while at the other end visiting goalkeeper Burhan almost handed the home side the lead after fumbling a low drive from Al Shabab's Uzbekistan midfielder Haydarov around the post.
Burhan was again called into action to turn Abbas' rising angled strike over the crossbar, although the Al Gharafa goalkeeper was injured making the save and was replaced by Ali.
Ali, though, picked up where Burhan left off as the substitute goalkeeper acrobatically turned Ciel's speculative long range free-kick onto the face crossbar shortly after the restart.
The former Busan I'Park attacker then twice failed to find the target with unmarked headers as the home side's frustrations grew as the half progressed.
And Al Shabab substitute Naser Masood wasted a glorious chance with five minutes remaining as the midfielder headed wide at the far post with the goal at his mercy from Abdulla Hassan's inviting left wing cross.