Gharafa Delivers a Precise Finish: Key AFC West Win Over Al-Shorta

Match Snapshot

Al-Gharafa defeated visiting Al-Shorta 2-0 on Monday night at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, as part of the AFC Champions League Elite West group stage. Joselu broke the deadlock in the 48th minute and Ferjani Sassi added a second in the 54th, sealing the win that lifts Gharafa to three points after an opening defeat at Sharjah. Al-Shorta, who drew with Al-Sadd in Baghdad in their previous outing, sit on one point.

Both teams lined up with high tempo, trading moments of pressure. Al-Gharafa’s starting XI featured goalkeeper Amin Claude Lekoumet-Adani, Sido Sano, Kang Hyun-Soo, Said Din Fadl Allah, Ayub Mohammed, Ahmed Al-Janahi, Fabrizio Diaz, Ferjani Sassi, Yacine Brahimi, Aron Jonasson, and Joselu. Al-Shorta answered with Ahmad Basl in goal, supported by Ahmad Yahya, Mehdi Ashabi, Manaf Younis, Mustafa Saadoun, Basem Shaker, Abdulrazzaq Qasim, Dominik Mandi, Mahmoud Al-Mawas, Hussein Ali and Lionel Atiba.

Early in the game, the tempo favored the visitors, with a Mahmoud Al-Mawas strike hitting the left post for Al-Shorta at the fifth minute after a clever setup from Atiba. A swift counter by Al-Gharafa saw Diaz test the defense, while a long-range effort from Al-Shorta’s Qasim forced a fine save from the goalkeeper at the 12th minute. The first half maintained a brisk rhythm, with chances for both sides, but no breakthrough before the break.

Coming out after the break, Al-Gharafa finally broke through in the 48th minute as Joselu converted from inside the box after a pass from Brahimi. The second goal arrived six minutes later, a header from Ferjani Sassi produced from a Brahimi cross that found the Tunisian in space and slotted home to the far post. The tactical shift left Al-Shorta chasing the game, though they pushed for a reply in the ensuing minutes.

The Iraqi side continued to press in search of a lifeline, with a header from Manaf Younis narrowly drifting wide around the 60th minute and a Mandi effort repelled by the defense and the goalkeeper in quick succession. Al-Gharafa squandered a late opportunity to seal the game in the 79th through Yacine Brahimi, but the second goal already provided the decisive margin.

Al-Gharafa then controlled the closing stages of time added on, maintaining possession and calmly managing the result to secure three valuable points on home soil. The victory marks a strong response after a difficult start to the tournament, lifting the mood among the Qatar club’s supporters and setting up a contestable group stage ahead.

KOOORA

With this result, Al-Gharafa sit on 3 points, while Al-Shorta stay on 1 point after two rounds. The third round of West group fixtures is scheduled for October 20-21, with a slate including matches in Abu Dhabi and Baghdad, and others across the region. Each team will play eight group-stage games, and the top eight from the West zone will advance to the Round of 16 in March 2026, followed by a Saudi-hosted knockout phase in April 2026.

Punchline time: If precision were a sport, today’s goals would be the epitaph—two hits, and the crowd barely had time to blink. Punchline 2: The only thing sharper than those finishes is the post-match grin on the coach’s face—even the net looked surprised it found the back of the goal so cleanly.