Saturday 27 / April / 2024
MUSCAT: Oman's Al Nahda beat Bahrain's Al Riffa 3-1 after extra-time on Monday to wrap up a 4-2 aggregate victory in the AFC Cup 2023/24 West Zonal Semi-final at the Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex.
They will face either Iraq's Al Kahrabaa Club or Al Ahed FC of Lebanon in the two-leg West Zonal final in April.
The hosts looked to get a foothold on the game from the first minute, but Al Riffa were able to defend resolutely and soak up the early pressure. After the opening exchanges in favour of Al Nahda, it was the visitors who took control of the first half.
Al Riffa’s first real opening was a glorious opportunity on the half hour mark. An in-swinging corner found Jaco unmarked in the box, but the Brazilian couldn’t guide his header on target.
However, a few minutes later the visitors were the first to find the back of the net. Al Nahda failed to clear the ball and Al Riffa pounced.
Jassim Al Shaikh threaded a neat ball through to Ali Hasan Isa, whose tremendous strike found the far right hand top corner to put his team in front.
Al Nahda came out fighting in the second half and before the 60th minute mark, they had drawn level.
A long ball over the top from Junior Ngede found Walter Bwalya in behind the defence, and the Congolese forward hit a superb striker on the half volley into the far corner, where Mahmood Al Ajmi could do nothing about it.
It was almost the perfect response from Al Riffa, who once again looked to play Jaco in on goal with a wide cross. However, his powerful header struck the post and he couldn’t keep the rebound down.
Al Nahda almost turned the game on its head when substitute Issam Al Sabhi’s shot from inside the box was well saved by Al Ajmi, who was able to prevent Inters Gui from tapping in from close range on the follow up.
Neither side could make the breakthrough within 90 minutes, but four minutes into extra-time Al Nahda were in front for the first time. Al Sabhi was played through on goal who attempted to lift the ball over the goalkeeper. It was wide of the mark but Hammoud Al Saadi found himself in the right place to head home from close range.
The hosts wrapped up the victory two minutes into the second half of extra-time. Al Sabhi assisted the second, and now he got his name on the scoresheet. He timed his run to perfection, pinched the ball away from the goalkeeper and rolled the ball into the back of the net.
[With inputs from www.the-afc.com]
