Al-Ahli Qatar sealed top spot and the first knockout ticket from Group B after a 2-0 win over Andijan of Uzbekistan at Thumama Stadium in Doha on the final matchday of the AFC Champions League 2 group stage.
Arkadag of Turkmenistan clinched the second knockout berth from the group after defeating Khaldiya of Bahrain 1-0 at Arkadag City Stadium.
Mitchell Flab struck both of Al-Ahli’s goals in the 26th and 65th minutes, while Yazgılıč Kurbanov got Arkadag’s winner in the 45th minute, leaving Al-Ahli top of the group on 10 points, Arkadag 7, Khaldiya 6, and Andijan 5.
Dominance and Control for Al-Ahli
Al-Ahli asserted control from the start, imposing the tempo on Andijan and repeatedly testing the visitors’ defense, before taking the lead when Julian Draxler played a long ball to Mitchell Flab, who blasted home in the 26th minute.
Al-Ahli continued to push high, with the ball coming back off the woodwork twice—first off Draxler in the 33rd minute and again via Erik Espozito in the 38th.
In the second half, Flab added his second personal and his team's, firing from outside the box which the keeper failed to deal with, nestling in at the 65th minute.
Fog Shrouds Arkadag
The Arkadag–Khaldiya clash was played under thick fog, turning the game into a real test for both sides, despite early chances for each.
Arkadag opened the scoring in the 45th minute when Shamamit Hidirov hammered a long-range shot that struck Khaldiya’s Ricardo Manuel, but Kurbanov pounced to fire home the rebound.
Yet the ball fell to Yazgilič Kurbanov, who tucked it away; Khaldiya’s keeper could not stop the second effort, leaving the scoreline open and Arkadag clinging to their lead until the final whistle.
