Four-goal fury: Duhail overpower Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai in AFC Champions League Elite West

Match Result and Context

Duhail delivered a commanding 4-1 victory over Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, shaping the fourth round of the AFC Champions League Elite West group stage for 2025-2026.

For Duhail, the goals came from Ademilson Júnior, Benjamin Bujard, Adel Bolbina and Luis Alberto in the 2nd, 39th, 57th and 90+2nd minutes respectively. Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai's lone reply was Brino Cascardo’s finish in the 42nd minute.

Key Moments and Goals

The match started briskly as Sultan Adel of Shabab Al-Ahli tested the Duhail goalkeeper in the opening minute, and the home side responded with a rapid counter that ended with Júnior’s strike in the 2nd minute.

In the 5th minute, a penalty for Shabab Al-Ahli was canceled after VAR review and redirected into a direct free kick by Federico Cartabia, which sailed over the bar. Santos then struck from outside the box in the 14th minute for another test on the Duhail defense.

Bujard added the second for Duhail with a powerful effort in the 39th minute, before Cascardo pulled one back for Shabab Al-Ahli in the 42nd. Bolbina restored a two-goal lead for Duhail in the 57th, and Piatek’s saved penalty in the 68th didn’t stop the flow, which continued with Bolbina’s 79th-minute shot and finally Alberto’s late strike at 90+2 to seal the tie.

Another notable moment came when a late attempt from Duhail required a save by Hamad Al-Maqbali, the Shabab Al-Ahli goalkeeper, during the second half, preserving the scoreline until the end.

The match also featured a flurry of activity as both sides pressed for breaks, with Duhail’s defense holding firm after the early exchanges and capitalizing on opportunistic finishing.

Standings and Next Fixtures

With the win, Duhail move to four points after a campaign that began with a 1-2 loss to Al Hilal in Riyadh and a 2-2 draw with Al Ahli Saudi FC in Doha, followed by a 1-3 defeat to Al Wahda in Abu Dhabi. Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai sit on seven points, thanks to a 1-1 draw with Tractor in Dubai, a 1-0 win over Al Ittihad in Jeddah, and a 4-1 victory over Nasaf in Dubai in the earlier rounds.

The West region continues its schedule on 24-25 November, with several fixtures that could alter the landscape ahead of the knockout stage. The eight best teams from the East and West regions will advance to the Round of 16 in March 2026, with the quarterfinals and semifinals slated to be held in Saudi Arabia in April 2026.

So, the stage is set for a thrilling march toward the knockouts, where consistency will matter as much as flair.

Punchlines incoming: 1) If accuracy were a sport, Duhail’s strikers would be on the podium and the goalkeeper would need a new hobby. 2) Tonight the scoreboard looked like a sniper’s target: four hits, zero misses—until VAR found an excuse to pause for a coffee break.