DOHA (Qatar): Qatar Stars League champions notched up their first win with 3-1 victory over Al Wehdat in Group D match of AFC Champions League on Tuesday night.
Winless in two prior matches, the Qatari champions clicked into gear with a blistering three-goal burst in the opening 26 minutes, with Baghdad Bounedjah, Boualem Khoukhi and Hassan Al Haydous all getting on the scoresheet before an Ahmad Sameer penalty sparked an revival late on.
The result lifts Xavi’s Al Sadd to an improved four points from three matches – one behind group leaders Foolad Khouzestan and Al Nassr – while Al Wehdat remain bottom of Group D with one point at the half-way point of their maiden group stage campaign.
Having been competitive in their first two matches without a win or a goal to show for it, the Jordanians were this time blown away by an Al Sadd starting line-up featuring five AFC Asian Cup winners and four top class foreign players.
It was three of the foreign contingent who combined for the first goal, scored within two minutes, with the prolific Bounedjah poking Santi Cazorla’s corner kick over the line from a few yards after a flick on from Guilherme, and it proved to be a mere warning for what was to come.
(Source: AFC)
