Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Nam Tae-hee capped a fine individual performance with a superb goal 16 minutes from time as Qatari champions Lekhwiya made a winning debut in the AFC Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli on Wednesday.
The Korean midfielder tormented the Al Ahli defence throughout the match and won a penalty in the first half which Moumouni Dagano failed to convert.
But just when it seemed that the points would be shared at the Al Sadd Stadium, Nam scored with a cracker from 25 metres to seal a memorable victory for Djamel Belmadi's side.
They joined Sepahan at the top of the group after the Iranian side beat Al Nasr of the UAE by the same score earlier on Wednesday.
The home side had a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock in the 14th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Nam was sent tumbling in the box by Jufain Al Bishi's desperate challenge.
However, Al Ahli goalkeeper Yasser Al Mosailem did brilliantly to turn Burkina Faso striker Dagano's effort against the left upright to keep the match scoreless.
In the 33rd minute, Nam's excellent through ball sent Bakari Kone clear with only the goalkeeper to beat but the Ivory Coast forward rolled his attempt just wide of Al Mosailem's right post.
Al Ahli's best opportunity of the first half fell to Brazilian forward Victor Simoes, who played a neat one-two with Imad Ali Al Hosni on the edge of the Lekhwiya box before volleying the return ball against the upright.
The game remained scoreless through to half-time and much of the second period thanks to some excellent goalkeeping at both ends.
Al Mossailem did brilliantly to keep out an effort by Kone after the ball had been squared to the Ivorian by Dagano.
And Lekhwiya goalkeeper Baba Malick did well to twice deny Al Ahli, pushing away a stinging shot by Simoes in the 68th minute and then using his legs to deny Al Hosni, after the ball had been laid off to him by Simoes.
Almost immediately after Al Hosni's miss, Lekhwiya brought the ball upfield and Nam cut in from the left flank and eluded a sliding challenge by Mohammed Massad before he launched a dipping effort from the left edge of the box that curled away from Al Mosailed and dropped into the far corner of the net.
The win delighted Lekhwiya coach Belmadi.
"I must congratulate all of my players because this was an excellent result against a strong team that is currently doing very well in Saudi Arabia," said the Algerian.
"They have good players, many of whom play on the national team. So to get three points against them in what was our first game in the AFC Champions League was very good."
Belmadi was impressed with the performance of Nam, who recovered from an ankle problem to play the full 90 minutes.
"He had an injury after he went back to Korea to play for the national team but he recovered quickly and played very well tonight and scored a very nice goal," he said.
"But he was not the only one who had a good game. Madjid Bougherra, Moumouni Dagano, Bakari Kore - they all played well for us."
Al Ahli coach Karel Jarolim praised goalkeeper Yasser Al Mosailem for an outstanding performance that was highlighted by his penalty save.
"He played very well and kept out a few good chances that they had," said the Czech.
"But we also had some good chances that were saved. On another day, they might have gone in but that's football because in the end they got the goal and won the game.
"It's okay to lose the game but I think we played very well. But we must improve our play, forget about this game and focus now on our next match."