Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: Oman international Qasim Said was on target as Dhofar Club edged Jordan’s Al Faisaly in a 1-0 victory in the AFC Cup competition on Tuesday.
In a Group C match played at the Salalah Sports Complex, Qasim Said scored in the 40th minute to full Dhofar full points, according to news posted on the Asian Football Confederation website.
On a day when Suwaiq suffered a 4-0 away defeat to Al Jazeera in Amman, Qasim Said’s goal clinched the match for Dhofar against Al Faisaly.
Dhofar started on the attack as Hugo Lopez’s header in the eighth minute was saved by Al Faisaly’s goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaiba.
Al Faisaly responded quickly through Yasser Al Rawashdeh in the 16th minute, but his header from close range missed the target by a narrow margin. Al Rawashdeh came close to scoring again from a difficult angle, but his effort went just wide.
Five minutes before the half-time whistle, Dhofar managed to break the deadlock as Khalil Al Darmaki snatched the ball before Al Faisaly’s defenders could react and sent an accurate pass to Qasim Said who slotted into the bottom left corner.
The Jordanian side increased their work rate in order to level things but Alban Meha’s shot from inside the box ended on the wrong side of the post in the 68th minute. The two-time AFC Cup winners pushed for an equaliser, but the Omani side managed to hold on to their lead, securing the team’s first win in the competition.
Despite the win, Dhofar remain in Group C’s last spot with four points ahead of their away clash against Lebanon’s Al Ansar. Al Faisaly stayed top of the group with seven points and will face Syria’s Al Wahda on Matchday Five.
Easy for Al Jazeera
In the Jordanian capital of Amman, hosts Al Jazeera extended their unbeaten run in Group A to four games with an emphatic 4-0 win over Suwaiq.
The home side took the lead in the 39th minute as Yazan Al Arab received a long ball from a free-kick, before sending an accurately volleyed cross to Mohannad Al Souliman, who headed the ball past the goalkeeper.
Just two minutes later, Oday Al Jafal doubled Al Jazeera’s lead as his first time shot from Abdullah Al Attar’s low cross from the right flank left Suwaiq’s goalkeeper Fayeez Al Rushaidi helpless.
Jordan’s side showed their dominance as Ahmad Al Essawi finished Tannous’ rebounded shot into the back of the net following a poor save by Al Rushaidi moments before the half time whistle.
In the dying moments of the match, Tannous scored Al Jazeera’s fourth goal from close range into an empty net following a short pass from Shadi Al Hamwi.
Al Jazeera cemented their position at the top of Group A with 10 points ahead of their home fixture against Air Force Club. Meanwhile, Oman’s Al Suwaiq remain in last spot with no points and will host Malkiya on Matchday Five on April 10.
