UAE clubs delivered one of their worst performances in the AFC Champions League Elite, after Al-Wahda, Al-Ahli, and Sharjah suffered losses in the sixth round of the competition, held last Monday and Tuesday. The teams returned with a 'zero' point haul, a stark contrast to their performance in the previous round where they achieved a perfect score and drew attention with a strong performance that was among the best in the tournament.
An Unexpected Loss Al-Wahda failed to maintain its unbeaten record, suffering an unexpected 1-0 defeat to Qatari Al-Gharafa, just four minutes before the final whistle. This loss caused "Al-Anabi" to drop to fourth place with 13 points, despite having officially secured qualification for the quarter-finals. This allowed Iranian Tractor to claim second place after a 2-1 victory over Qatari Al-Duhail, raising its total to 14 points. Saudi Al-Ahli is third with 13 points.
A Rocky Start In Sharjah, the start was not auspicious for their new coach, Portuguese Luis Morais, who disappointed the "King's" fans by losing his first match 0-1 to Saudi Al-Hilal. This complicates the team's quest for a spot in the next round, with its points total frozen at seven and its position dropping to eighth.
A Painful Defeat Shabab Al-Ahli was the biggest loser in that round, as it squandered a near-certain chance to secure its qualification to the quarter-finals. The "Knights" were leading 2-1 against Qatari Al-Sadd and were in control until the fifth minute of added time, when a dramatic and unexpected turnaround saw the team concede three goals in just eight minutes, ending in a painful 2-4 defeat. This was one of the greatest "remontadas" in the current edition of the AFC Champions League Elite.
Four Clubs Secured Qualification Only two clubs have been eliminated from the race for qualification to the quarter-finals: Uzbekistan's Nasaf and Iraq's Al-Shorta. The competition for the remaining four spots remains fierce among Qatari clubs Al-Duhail, Al-Gharfa, and Al-Sadd, as well as UAE's Shabab Al-Ahli and Sharjah, and Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad. Al-Wahda (UAE), Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia), and Iran's Tractor have officially secured their places in the quarter-finals.
