Al Wasl lost to their visitors, Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli, by three goals to one in the second round of the AFC Champions League Elite West Region.
Al Wasl head coach Mr. Rui Vitória’s starting lineup for the match was as follows: Dinko Horkas in goal; Hugo Neto, Adryelson Silva, Soufiane Bouftini, and Pedro Malheiro in defence; Siaka Sidibe, Ridwan Popoola, Nicolas Gimenez, Serginho, and Brahian Palacios in midfield; and Mehdi Taremi in attack.
Al Wasl started the match with attacking pressure from the outset and threatened Al Ahli’s goal early on with an attempt by Siaka Sidibe in the fourth minute, a powerful left-footed shot. Four minutes later, Serginho took a powerful shot following a counterattack led by Nicolás Giménez, but he was unlucky not to score.
Roger Ibanez put Al Ahli ahead in the 20th minute. Al Wasl responded with attacks and attempts to score, the most notable of which was an attempt by Siaka Sidibé in the 36th minute following a precise pass from Nicolás Giménez, but Al Ahli’s defence cleared the ball. Pedro Malheiro equalised for Al Wasl with a goal in the third minute of stoppage time, scoring with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, assisted by Adryelson.
At the start of the second half, Al Wasl’s head coach made a substitution, bringing on Sasa Ivkovic in place of Adryelson Silva. He also introduced Cameron Puertas and Leandro Spadacio in place of Brahian Palacios and Siaka Sidibe. Renato Junior also came on in place of Nicolas Gimenez, and Matheus Saldanha replaced Mehdi Taremi.
Francisco Trincao scored Al Ahli’s second goal in the 58th minute. Al Wasl’s players attempted to equalise, as Cameron Puertas took a powerful shot that went wide of the goal in the 63rd minute, and the post denied Serginho a goal a minute later.
Al Wasl’s attempts to score continued, and Al Ahli’s defence blocked a shot by Cameron Puertas in the 69th minute, while Hugo Neto’s shot went wide of the post in the 81st minute.
Despite Al Wasl’s attempts to score, Feras Al-Brikan netted Al Ahli’s third goal in the first minute of stoppage time.