Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Arbil: Striker Amjed Radhi scored twice as Arbil took a huge step towards becoming the first club from Iraq to reach the AFC Cup final with a crushing 4-1 win over Thailand’s Chonburi at the Arbil Stadium on Tuesday.
Radhi opened the scoring in the first leg of the semi-final with a cheeky back-heel in the first half and restored the home side’s lead in the 50thminute after the visitors had got back on level terms through Pipob On-Mo early in the second half.
An own goal by Suttinun Phukhom extended Arbil’s advantage before substitute Saleh Sadeer fired home a long-range screamer to put the Iraqi champions firmly in the driver’s seat before the return match in Thailand later this month.
Despite feeling the effects of playing their second match in the Middle East in just six days, with two exhausting flights across the Middle East sandwiched in between, Chonburi began the match brightly and could have broken the deadlock as early as the eighth minute when French midfielder Geoffrey Doumeng created an opening for himself on the left flank but sent his powerful shot narrowly wide.
Arbil took the lead in the 24th minute thanks to an ingenious finish by Radhi, who received the ball after Halkard Mulla Mohammad had cut it back from the right touchline and casually flicked it with his right heel between the legs of Chonburi goalkeeper Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool.
Despite conceding that goal, Chonburi continued to attack and very nearly got back on level terms on the half-hour mark after a free-kick by evergreen playmaker Therdsak Chaiman came back off the crossbar.
However, the Thai side would get back on level terms within 90 seconds of the restart as Pipob shook off the challenge of Ugandan defender Ivan Bukenya to force his way into the box and fire home the equaliser.
The home fans were shocked into a brief silence but they were soon cheering again when Halkard’s cross was knocked down by Nadim Sabag for an unmarked Radhi to slot the ball home for his second goal of the night.
Arbil began to turn the screw and Luay Salah nearly added a third when he fired a long-range effort past Sinthaweechai only to see his effort come back off the crossbar.
But the home side would make it 3-1 in the 66th minute when Halkard’s cross from the right was turned into the Chonburi net by defender Suttinun.
Sadeer would then net a fourth for Arbil with 16 minutes left when he launched a stinging drive from 25 metres that sailed past Sinthaweechai into the top corner of the Chonburi net to give Arbil a comfortable lead to take to Thailand for the return game.