Doha Duel in Asia’s Elite: Al Sadd and Al Sharjah Split Points in ACL Showdown
30 septembre 2025
Match overview
Al Sadd and Al Sharjah played to a 1-1 draw at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Tuesday evening, in the second round of the AFC Asian Champions League Elite West Group.
The encounter delivered a lively tempo with clear chances, as Al Sadd opened the scoring through their star Akram Afif in the 18th minute, sealing an early advantage for the home side.
Sharjah responded with intensity and, despite finding opportunities, could not convert until the 73rd minute when Brazilian Kai Lucas finished a well-worked move to restore parity for the visitors.
The teams came into the match with different mindsets: Al Sadd chasing their first win after a 1-1 draw in Baghdad against Al-Shorta, while Sharjah were buoyed by a 4-3 triumph over Al-Gharafa in the UAE.
The final result left Al Sadd on two points and Sharjah on four, keeping the West Group standings open with several rounds still to play as the competition progresses toward the knockout phase.
In the broader group context, Al Hilal Saudi took the lead with six points, followed by Sharjah, Al Ahli, and Al Gharafa (four points), with Nasaf and Tractor trailing on two, while Al Sadd and Al Ahli Dubai, plus Al Shorta and Nasaf, still seek their footing as the rounds unfold.
Lineups featured Meshal Barsham in goal for Al Sadd, with a defensive line including Pedro Miguel, Boualem Khoki, Romain Saiss, and Paulo Otavio, while midfielders Tariq Salman, Mohammed Kamara, Hassan Al-Hidous, and Augusto Syria supported a strike partnership of Afif and Roberto Firmino.
Sharjah countered with goalkeeper Drooish Mohammed, a back four of Marou KataniTech, Khalid Al-Dhannahani, Cho Yo-min, and Deyvid Petrovic, with a midfield four of Geronimo Poblete, Guilherme Peiro, Adal Taerabet, and Majid Hassan, and a forward line featuring Kai Lucas and Rimanag.
Opening momentum and a tactical duel
The opening exchanges favored Al Sadd, who controlled the midfield for longer spells thanks to Afif’s movement and link-up play across the flanks. Afif carved out a goal-scoring chance in the 18th minute, dribbling past a defender before firing a low shot into the right corner, giving the home side an early lead.
Sharjah earned a penalty shortly after Afif’s strike, when a touch from Boualem Khoki was deemed to have touched the ball with hand in the area. Kai Lucas stepped up, but Barsham produced a spectacular save to preserve the lead just before the half-hour mark.
Second half and late drama
After the break, Sharjah increased their tempo and looked more dangerous on the break, while Al Sadd pressed for a second goal to kill the match. Sharjah finally found a leveller in the 73rd minute when Kai Lucas converted a low cross from the left into the bottom corner, leaving Barsham with little chance.
Both sides pressed for the winner, with Barsham again ensuring the hosts stayed in contention by denying a late effort from another Sharjah attacker.
The match concluded with a hard-fought point for both teams, highlighting Afif’s influence for Al Sadd and Sharjah’s adaptability and poise under pressure as the West Group title race remains wide open. Punchline time: if football were an exam, Afif would be the student who finishes first and still gets extra credit; Sharjah, meanwhile, would be the student who brings a textbook to practice and somehow still aces the group stage. Second punchline: the bus of defending titles might be parked, but tonight the taxi of persistence delivered the fare to a fair result.
