Al Jazira, Al Wahda go down fighting in AFC Champions League

Al Ahli's Salman Al Moasher (centre) vies for the ball with Al Jazira's Mbark Boussoufa (right) during their AFC Champions League match.

In a sad day for Abu Dhabi clubs, Al Jazira and Al Wahda lost their AFC Champions League matches on Tuesday. The 'Pride of Abu Dhabi' Al Jazira lost 1-2 to Saudi side Al Ahli at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium. Al Jazira had already qualified into the knockout stages of the tournament and finished second in Group A.
It was a raging start by the Al Jazira strikers. Ali Mabkhout and Romarinho had a crack at the Al Ahli goal, but missed. Just as Al Jazira pressed in search of an early goal, Al Ahli struck at the other end.
In the sixth minute, Al Ahli's Hamdan Al Shamrani dribbled past a host of Al Jazira defenders and passed onto Saleh Al Amri, who nicked it into the goal. Al Amri could have consolidated in the 10th minute but missed from close range. It was a well-fought battle with hard challenges and tackles.
Amid the din, Al Ahli added one more. The goal came following a free-kick by Mark Milligan. Al Ahli winger Salman Al Moasher controlled the ball and set it up for Moamen Zakaria to fire a long-ranger into the bottom right corner.
Al Jazira pressed hard to reduce the margin. There was a nice one-two effort from Romarinho and Mabkhout, and a later header from Khalifa Mubarak on Mbark Boussoufa's corner kick. Al Jazira were searing but couldn't find an opening goal.
Al Ahli came started stronger after the break. The likes of Moasher, Al Amri, Saeed Al Muwallad and Taiseer Al Jassam made constant forays into Al Jazira goal.
At the stroke of an hour, Al Jazira coach Henk ten Cate made his first change by bringing in Ahmed Al Hashmi for Salim Ali. The switch added urgency to the proceedings and in the 68th minute Al Jazira scored. Mabkhout fed Al Hashmi with a lovely pass but the striker's shot got deflected off Al Shamrani. However, Romarinho was on the spot to place the ball to the bottom left corner.
The goal brought intensity to the match as Al Jazira went all out in hunt of a second one. Mbark Boussoufa and Mohamed Fawzi kept feeding dipping crosses into the box but the strikers couldn't get the finishing touches right. Both, Boussoufa and Fawzi, had a go at goal but the close attempts too failed to end up finding the back of net.
Al Jazira kept possession for long and had more attempts on goal but failed to avoid yet another defeat at the hands of Saudi opponent.
Irrespective of the result, both teams enter the knockout stage.
In another match played in Doha, Al Wahda lost again. Abdelrahman Fahmi's goal in 47 minutes saw Qatar's Al Duhail remain unbeaten in the group stages. Al Wahda were on the back foot in the first half as defender Salem Sultan was handed red card for challenge on goal-bound Youssef El Arabi. Despite best efforts, the Clarets failed in their foreign mission.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com