Al Wakrah: Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab returned to the AFC Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2013 after defeating FC Nasaf of Uzbekistan 2-0 in the 2022 Round of 16 at Al Janoub Stadium yesterday.
Al Shabab were quick to show their attacking intent from the start and could have been in front inside 60 seconds when Moteb Al Harbi applied the pressure on his opposite number on the left flank, regaining the ball and feeding Hussain Al Qahtani who rifled from the edge of the box but his effort passed just over the crossbar.
The Saudi side needed just 12 minutes to open the scoring as Al Qahtani collected Ever Banega’s pass inside Nasaf’s half and drove forward before attempting a drilled effort that took a wild deflection of an Uzbek defender to leave goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov rooted to the spot and record Al Shabab’s first goal of the night.
Riyadh Sharahili nearly cost his side dearly when he recklessly passed the ball sideways inside his own area, allowing Oybek Bozorov to take control and curl towards the top corner, but the Uzbek midfielder didn’t have enough accuracy in his shot to punish Sharahili’s blunder as Al Shabab went back into the dressing rooms with a one-goal lead.
Nasaf looked to draw level after the restart, applying the press deep inside Al Shabab’s half, but the Saudis dealt with the situation expertly, absorbing the pressure then hitting on the counter as a string of passes on saw Hattan Bahebri set-up Banega and the club captain drilled one with his weaker left-foot that struck the upright before nestling into the back of the net for 2-0.
Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu received his first test of the night midway through the second period when substitute Shukhratu Mukhammadiyev laid the ball back for Akmal Mozgovoy who side-footed it first time, but the save was too comfortable for the Korea Republic international.
With a fairly comfortable cushion already secured, coach Vicente Moreno’s men controlled the game by retaining possession for extended spells of the last 25 minutes, rarely threatening but not looking in danger either as the game drew to a close with Al Shabab joining Al Duhail in the last eight of the competition.
