Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Amman: Yemen's Ahli Taiz handed Al Wahda from Syria a comprehensive 5-3 defeat to progress to the Group Stages of the AFC Cup on Saturday, completing the lineup of Group B in the 2013 edition of the continental club competition.
Waleed Al Hubaishi scored twice – one in each half – as Ahli Taiz booked their place in the competition proper and join last year's runners-up Arbil from Iraq, Lebanese side Al Ansar and Fanja from Oman in Group D, when the action kicks off on March 5.
"We have a young team with great fighting spirit," said Ahli Taiz assistant coach Ahmed Hussein Al Muhtadi.
"The players showed this spirit tonight and our attacking efficiency was great as we scored five goals which helped us to win the match and advance.
"We have studied Al Wahda very well and we took advantage of the circumstances and converted the chances that we had tonight into goals to win the match."
Ahli Taiz took the lead as early as the seventh minute when Abdullah Aref put them in front but within 11 minutes the scores were all square as Mohanad Khrbin had levelled for Al Wahda, runners-up to compatriots Al Jaish in the inaugural AFC Cup final in 2004.
Al Hubaishi claimed his first of the night from the penalty spot just after the half hour mark to put Ahli Taiz back in front and, 10 minutes into the second half, Khaled Mahdi extended the Yemeni side's advantage with his club's third, also via a penalty.
Al Hubaishi struck again to make it 4-1 in the 78th minute before Cameroonian striker Georges Seumo Dongue hit the back of the net three minutes to give Ahli Taiz an unassailable advantage.
The Syrians enjoyed a late flurry with Majed Al Haj claiming a second for Al Wahda beforein the 86th minute before Khrbin scored his second and Al Wahda's third a minute into stoppage time to give the scoreline a more respectable sheen.
"I'm really surprised and disappointed with the result," said Al Wahda coach Muhannad Al Fakeer. "I didn't expect that we would lose this match but we had some circumstances which affected us and we lost the chance to control the game.
"We missed several key players and we also didn't have good motivation. The team spirit was absent and in football if you don't play with good spirit, you will eventually lose matches."