Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuwait City: Lazhar Haji Aissa and captain Nawaf Al Mutairi each scored twice as Kuwait champions Al Qadsia posted an emphatic 5-2 win over Syria’s Al Ittihad on Wednesday to set-up a meeting with domestic rivals Kuwait Sports Club in the last 16 of the AFC Cup.
Syrian striker Omar Al Soma was also on target at Mohammed Al Hamad Stadium as Al Qadsia emphatically topped Group A to earn a home tie with last year’s beaten finalists and former champions Kuwait SC later this month after edging out Oman’s Al Suwaiq on head-to-head record to top the table.
Hussam Al Dien Omr’s spectacular strike 13 minutes before the break had pulled Al Ittihad back on level terms following Aissa’s second-minute opener, but Al Qadsia scored four unanswered goals in an 10-minute spell either side of half-time to ease to a crucial third win of the campaign before Mohamad Al Hasan added a stoppage time consolation for the visitors.
"The players had a good match tonight as they put all their efforts into the game and we managed to secure our place in the next stage and we won the group which means that we will play at home in the next match,” said Al Qadsia coach Rodion Gacanin.
"The team had a good performance and we were the better side. We created a lot of chances and we scored from the chances that we had.
“We learnt a lot from the lessons that we had in the previous meeting when we lost the game."
The home side enjoyed the perfect start as Aissa struck after just 75 seconds as the midfielder headed home from inside the six yard area after Bader Al Motawaa had diverted a back post cross from Al Mutairi across the face of goal.
Al Motawaa and Al Soma both went close as Al Qadsia continued to dominate, but the visitors equalised in spectacular fashion 13 minutes before the break as Omr gave goalkeeper Nawaf Al Khaldi no chance as his dipping 35 yard drive flew into the back of the net.
But despite a spell of pressure from Al Ittihad, the home side responded three minutes before the break as the ball broke for Al Mutairi in space inside the Al Ittihad penalty area and the Al Qadsia captain expertly lifted the ball over stranded goalkeeper Khaled Alhaji Othman.
And in the last minute of the first half a missed tackle by Al Ittihad captain Majeddin Homsi proved costly as Al Soma broke forward and rifled home from just outside the penalty area.
The home side came close to a fourth in stoppage time at the end of the first half as Al Motawaa hit the outside of the Al Ittihad post with Othman beaten.
But Aissa did add a fourth for the home side just three minutes into the second as the midfielder raced through a gap in the Al Ittihad defence and poked the ball past the advancing Othman.
And a fifth arrived just four minutes later as Al Motawaa was sent free into space down the right and his drilled low cross was met by the onrushing Al Mutairi and the Al Qadsia captain flicked the ball over Othman from just inside the six yard area with the Al Ittihad goalkeeper again left helpless.
Al Ittihad were able to end the game on a high as Al Hasan converted Hamid Mido’s low cross with the last kick of the contest.
"Our players were not at their best days and we were not the better side tonight,” said Al Ittihad coach Moustafa Jabakji.
“We lost concentration especially in the defence and this has cost us a lot because we conceded a lot of goals.
"We tried to get back into the game in the second period but the third goal affected us negatively.
“Al Qadsia managed to win the game tonight with the experience of their players who had a good performance."