AFC Champions League: Al-Sadd put four past Nasaf to stay top of Group C

Al-Sadd registered a huge 4-0 win over FC Nasaf of Uzbekistan in their 2018 AFC Champions League Group C clash, which was played at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday.

The result means that Al-Sadd stay on top of the Group C table with nine points after Matchday Four, with matches against Al-Wasl (home) and Persepolis (away) remaining to be played.

The Wolves got off to a bright start in the game and took the lead in the third minute, through Xavi’s first goal in the AFC Champions League. The captain was in the right place to put his foot in and deflect a fierce strike from Khoukhi Boualem to make it 1-0.

Abdelkarim Hassan then gave Al-Sadd a 2-0 lead in the 16th minute, after a brilliant individual display. The left-back picked up a pass from Akram Afif from the halfway line and went on a solo run to get past three defenders before firing home an unstoppable shot past Nasaf keeper Kuvvatov.

Al-Sadd went on to end the first half with a three-goal cushion after Baghdad Bounedjah scored his fifth goal of the tournament in the 43rd minute. The Algerian met his compartiot Jugurtha Hamroun’s cross with an overhead kick to put his side 3-0 ahead.

In the second half, Al-Sadd picked up from where they had left off and Akram Afif almost scored in the 51st minute but the forward’s shot went wide of the left post.

Head coach Jesualdo Ferreira made his first change of the match in the 60th minute by bringing on Hassan Al-Haydos in place of Xavi. Al-Haydos went on to put his mark on the game in the 71st minute by setting up Hamroun to score the fourth goal; the Qatar captain dribbled onto the edge of the box before releasing Hamroun, who took a touch and blasted in a powerful shot.

MATCH DETAILS

Al-Sadd x Nasaf (2018 AFC Champions League – Group C, Matchday Four)

Venue:

Jassim bin Hamad Stadium

Lineups:

Al-Sadd: Saad Al-Dosari, Pedro Miguel, Ahmed Suhail (Yasser Abubakr), Hamid Ismail, Abdelkarim Hassan, Khoukhi Boualem, Salem Al-Hajri, Xavi (Hassan Al-Haydos), Jugurtha Hamroun, Baghdad Bounedjah, Akram Afif (Ali Asad)

Nasaf: Sanjar Kuvvatov, Azizjon Ganiev, Odiljon Khamrobekov, Bobir Abdixolikov, Sharof Mukhitdinov, Igor Golban, Islom Rashidkhanov (Jahongir Aliev), Slavko Lukic, Dragan Ceran (Islom Kenjabaev), Jasur Khasanov (Sanjar Rashidov)

Result:

Al-Sadd won 4-0

Goals:

Xavi 3′

Abdelkarim Hassan 15′

Baghdad Bounedjah 42′

Jugurtha Hamroun 71′

Referees:

Ahmed Al Kaf (Main referee)

Abubakar Al Amri (Linesman)

Rashid Al-Ghaythi (Linesman)

Qasim Al-Hatmi (Fourth official)