Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Male: Ali Ashfaq scored his second hat-trick in the AFC Cup this season as Maldivian champions New Radiant qualified for the last 16 as Group F winners on goal difference after downing Indonesia’s Persibo 6-1 on Wednesday.
With Ashfaq taking his tally for the tournament to eight having scored five against Persibo in Indonesia earlier in the campaign, Mohamed Umair also netted twice at the National Stadium with Ali Umar also on target for the home side.
And with Myanmar’s Yangon United only managing a 2-0 win over Hong Kong’s Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei, New Radiant secured a home tie with Malaysia’s Selangor in the Round of 16 later this month.
“I am very happy,” said New Radiant coach Velizar Popov.
“My personnel target is now to win the game in two weeks. Selangor are among the best clubs in Malaysia and are a very good team with good foreigners
“It’s going to be a difficult game, but it’s OK, we don’t have any pressure.”
With New Radiant and Yangon beginning the final Matchday deadlocked at the top of the table, the home side took the lead after 28 minutes as Ashfaq muscled his way into the Persibo penalty area to collect Umair’s pass before firing past goalkeeper Happy Kurniawan Dwi Putra.
The home side doubled their lead just three minutes later as Umair’s superb free-kick flew into the top corner giving Putra no chance in the Persibo goal.
And a third arrived nine minutes before half-time as Umair was given time and space outside the Persibo penalty area and the midfielder rifled his shot into the bottom corner despite the best efforts of goalkeeper Putra.
Persibo, though, pulled a goal back 10 minutes into the second half as Bijahil Chalwa followed up to tap in from close range after New Radiant goalkeeper Mohamed Imran failed to hold Teguh Wahyu’s shot.
But New Radiant restored their three-goal cushion six minutes after the hour mark as Ashfaq rifled home his second of the match high into the roof of the net following good work from Umair.
Umar got his name on the scoresheet with 20 minutes remaining as the midfielder bundled home from the edge of the six-yard area from Sylla Mansa’s header.
And with 10 minutes remaining Ashfaq completed his hat-trick as the striker sent Putra the wrong way from the penalty spot.