Sport | Football
Four Saudi clubs storm into Champions League knockout
Shabab's injury-time goal to beat short-handed Al Gharafa 1-0 advanced the Saudi Arabia club and Iran's Piroozi Athletic into the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League on Wednesday.
- AP
- Published: 22:51 May 7, 2009
Riyadh: Shabab's injury-time goal to beat short-handed Al Gharafa 1-0 advanced the Saudi Arabia club and Iran's Piroozi Athletic into the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League on Wednesday.
Also progressing were Al Hilal, meaning all four Saudi clubs went through, and Nagoya Grampus of Japan, leaving only four spots left to be filled in the last 16.
Qatar's Al Gharafa had to beat Shabab to advance from Group B, which was cut to three teams when the UAE's winless Sharjah withdrew from the tournament on Monday because they wanted to focus on their home competition.
With all results, goals, and points involving Sharjah voided - and Sharjah still facing more possible sanctions - Shabab's victory left Al Gharafa having completed its campaign without any more chances to advance.
Shabab topped the group with seven points, the idle Piroozi had four, and Al Gharafa finished with three.
Al Gharafa's hopes were dealt a severe blow when Ahmad Fares was sent off late in the first half for a second yellow card. But it took until the second minute of second-half injury time for Shabab to finally score. Fisal Bin Sultan had been brought down in the box by Al Gharafa's Sa'ad Al Shammri and Nassir Al Shamrani stepped up to convert the penalty.
Al Hilal beat Iranian host Saba Battery 1-0 at Qom in the first match under Abdul Latif Hussain, who became interim coach when George Leekens was fired.
Even without suspended stars Yasser Al Qahtani and midfielder Mirel Radoi, Al Hilal scored from Tariq Atib's free kick three minutes before halftime.
The third straight loss eliminated Saba Battery, and coach Firouz Karimi lamented a heavy schedule for the poor showing, though he admitted resting top players for a domestic cup quarterfinal. Piroozi looks like being Iran's only representative from four starters in the last 16.
Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor consolidated first place in Group A with a 2-0 win over UAE's Al Ahli in Tashkent.
Zaynitdin Tadjiyev headed in the host's first goal in the 39th minute, then Aleksander Geynrikh struck the second just before the hour mark.
Pakhtakor had 13 points, Al Hilal 11, Saba Battery 2 and Al Ahli 1.
Nagoya was first to advance from Group E and the group winner with a game to spare by thrashing South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai 4-1.
Yoshizumi Ogawa scored a pair for Nagoya to join J-League rivals Gamba Osaka, Kashima Antlers and Kawasaki Frontale.
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