Shabab Al-Ahli secured a significant 2-0 victory over Qatari side Al-Sadd on Monday in the fifth round of the AFC Champions League group stage. This win boosted "Dubai's Knights" to 10 points and kept their hopes of advancing to the Round of 16 alive, while Al-Sadd remained on 3 points.
Shabab Al-Ahli started the match with intense pressure and took the lead in the 9th minute. Defender Kuan Santos scored a magnificent goal, receiving the ball in midfield and unleashing a powerful long-range strike that found the net.
In response, Al-Sadd attempted to mount a comeback. In the 23rd minute, a dangerous cross sailed past both attackers and the goalkeeper, going out for a goal kick. Shabab Al-Ahli responded forcefully, with player Bala doubling the lead in the 28th minute with another long-range strike, mirroring Santos's goal. The first half ended 2-0 with the Emirati team in complete control.
In the second half, Shabab Al-Ahli continued their dominance and possession, relying on counter-attacks.
In the 70th minute, Al-Sadd nearly pulled a goal back with a dangerous header that went just wide of the post. However, in the 73rd minute, Shabab's defender Bogdan scored with a header, but the Al-Sadd keeper made a brilliant save.
In the 75th minute, Al-Sadd had another great chance, but defender Santos cleared the ball off the line following a skillful run by Hamd Al-Maqbali. The remainder of the match saw no further changes, and Shabab Al-Ahli sealed the 2-0 victory, taking another step towards qualification for the next stage of the Asian Champions League.
