Doha: Al Wasl scored two late goals to snatch a 2-1 victory over Al Gharafa in a gripping AFC Champions League Elite West Zone clash at Al Bayt Stadium yesterday. Al Gharafa took the lead through Ferjani Sassi in the 44th minute, with Fabio Lima sparking Al Wasl’s comeback with a clinical spot kick in 84th minute. Isaac Success then delivered the winning goal for the reigning UAE champions in the second minute of stoppage time.
Pedro Martins-coached Al Gharafa, guilty of missing several golden opportunities, remained on three points while the win lifted Al Wasl to six points. “We couldn’t capitalise on several chances, and the penalty shifted the momentum in Al Wasl’s favour,” said Martins. “The penalty had a significant impact on the result.
Our aim was to win, but it didn’t happen. We’re still in the competition and need to focus on securing more points in the remaining matches,” the Al Gharafa coach added. Al Wasl had started brightly with Siaka Sidibe’s powerful 35-yard strike being blocked by Al Gharafa goalkeeper Sergio Rico early in the first half.
The UAE side dominated possession and Ali Saleh had a chance to score but his header missed the target. Al Gharafa’s first real attempt came through Fabricio Diaz, whose low drive from outside the box went wide. Joselu, who scored a brace in the win over Al Ain, nearly put Al Gharafa ahead just before the half-hour mark, but his shot from the left, assisted by Yacine Brahimi, also missed the target.
Des.