From Dhaka to Jakarta, football fans know the buzz of a killer comeback. And on Monday in Baghdad, Al Ittihad delivered just that in the AFC Champions League Elite! ⚽🔥
The match kicked off with Al Shorta striking first when Mehdi Ashabi headed a corner to Bassam Shakir’s close-range finish in the 5th minute. But the Saudi champions weren’t down for long. Mahamadou Doumbia stole the ball near the box edge and flicked it to Moussa Diaby, who nodded home the equalizer at 17′.
Momentum shifted fully at 29′, as Fabinho unleashed a stunning free kick into the bottom-right corner to make it 2-1. Even after Danilo Pereira was sent off for a second yellow just five minutes into the second half, Al Ittihad stayed in control.
Moussa Diaby then tore through the defense to tee up Houssem Aouar for a simple finish at 60′. The pair combined again on a lightning-fast break 16 minutes later, sealing a well-deserved 4-1 victory. 🎉 This result lifts Al Ittihad to seventh in the West Region standings.
Meanwhile in Jeddah, Al Ahli cruised past Qatar’s Al Gharafa 4-0. Enzo Millot opened the scoring at 32′, Franck Kessie bagged a quickfire brace before halftime, and Saleh Abu Al-Shamat wrapped it up in the 76th minute. Al Ahli remains top of the group with 7 points. 😎⚽
Reference(s):
Al Ittihad beat Al Shorta for first win in AFC Champions League Elite
cgtn.com
