In the match of the 16th round of the Asian Champions League, "Al-Wasl" played to a 1-1 draw against the Qatari "As-Saad" at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai yesterday. This complicates the chances for "The Imperatora" to advance to the quarterfinals of the playoff match, which will take place next Monday in Doha. This is already the fifth consecutive match in which "Al-Wasl" cannot win at home in the Asian tournament after two draws and two losses.
The match started for "Al-Wasl" unceremoniously, when Ali Saleh distinguished himself after a remarkable solo run, scoring a quick goal for the team in just two minutes and 35 seconds. The team continued to attack but could not consolidate the advantage, missing several chances, including a shot from Ali Saleh, who sent the ball over the crossbar.
In the second half, "Al-Wasl" dropped their tempo, allowing "As-Saad" to equalize thanks to a goal from Abdullah Badra after a penalty kick. The team tried to come back but the game largely concentrated in the midfield, leading to a goalless draw.
"Al-Wasl" missed the opportunity for a confident victory over the Qatari "As-Saad" in the knockout round of the 16th Asian Champions League, finishing the match in a draw of 1-1, delaying the decision on qualification in the return match in Doha next week. The team demonstrated an excellent performance in the first half, but showed a typical for themselves drop in the second half, which is characteristic for this season.
The match against "As-Saad" revealed four obstacles that prevented "Al-Wasl" from achieving victory: lack of fan support, problems with the game at the Zabeel Stadium, missed chances, and physical preparation. According to the management's statements, "Al-Wasl" is capable of returning from Doha with a ticket to the quarterfinals of the Asian tournament, regardless of the difficulties posed by "As-Saad".
"Al-Wasl" coach Milosh Miloevich admitted that his team missed an easy victory in the match against "As-Saad", expressing about the ineffectiveness of exploiting created moments. He expressed hope for correcting mistakes and improving preparation before the return match.
