RIYADH:
Al-Ittihad thrashed Qatar’s Al-Gharafa 7-0 on Tuesday to guide their place within the knockout rounds of the Asian Champions League Elite as Roberto Mancini’s Al-Sadd boosted their hopes of qualifying with a 2-0 win over Tractor FC.
Algeria worldwide Houssem Aouar scored a hat-trick for the Saudi Professional League champions in a one-sided conflict in Jeddah and the three factors assure Sergio Conceicao’s crew a spot within the subsequent section of the competitors.
Youssef En-Nesyri, signed final week to exchange Karim Benzema following his transfer to Al-Hilal, wasted no time in giving his facet the lead when he stroked residence Muhannad Al-Shanqiti’s low centre from the best within the third minute.
Aouar doubled the house facet’s benefit within the twentieth minute as he swept a right-footed effort into the underside nook and Roger Fernandes slid in to attain the third within the forty ninth minute.
Two minutes later, slack marking at a nook allowed Danilo Pereira to go in Aouar’s cross.
Aouar volleyed in his second of the night within the 58th minute earlier than Fernandes guided within the sixth after an extra 4 minutes with Aouar finishing his hat-trick 11 minutes from time.
The win moved Al-Ittihad onto 12 factors and as much as fifth within the standings, 4 factors away from ninth-placed Sharjah FC with one spherical within the league section remaining.
Al-Sadd took the lead towards already-qualified Tractor within the 61st minute when Akram Afif headed the ball into the trail of Rafa Mujica and the Spanish striker swept his shot in from seven yards out.
The Qatari membership put the consequence past doubt within the 89th minute as Roberto Firmino, a winner of the title final season with Al-Ahli, stabbed residence from shut vary following Claudinho’s inch-perfect go from the left.
“We knew we needed to win tonight,” mentioned Firmino. “Tractor is within the high three within the Champions League and it was a giant sport and a giant win.”
The consequence strikes Al-Sadd as much as eighth within the standings and into the ultimate qualifying berth for the knockout rounds forward of subsequent week’s matches.
The highest eight groups in each east and west Asia progress to the final 16, which can be performed on a home-and-away foundation. The quarter-finals, semi-finals and ultimate can be held on a centralised foundation in Saudi Arabia in April.
