Air Force 3:2 Al Jazira. AFCCL Champions League. Match Report

www.the-afc.com: Apr. 22, 2022

Iraq’s Air Force Club repeated their victory against Al Jazira, beating the Emirati side 3-2 on Matchday Five of the AFC Champions League™ 2022 Group B at King Fahd International Stadium on Friday.

Having opened their campaign with a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture two weeks earlier, the Iraqi side came racing out of the blocks and within six minutes had already taken the lead.

Midfielder Mohammed Ali sent a defence-splitting pass for Hammadi Ahmed to chase down the left and the club captain played a cute backheel pass for Hussein Jabbar to whip a pinpoint cross that Ibrahim Bayesh headed home comfortably for the opener.

Jabbar thought he had doubled his side’s lead just four minutes later when he collected Dhurgham Ismail’s pass from the left and lined up a thunderous strike that beat goalkeeper Ali Khaseif but the ball cannoned off the crossbar.

Al Jazira’s first effort on goal arrived in the 18th minute as Oumar Traore found space outside the Air Force Club area after a string of passes and drilled an effort, but goalkeeper Mohammed Salih was comfortable in making the saves.

The rest of the opening half saw chances few and far between with none finding their way towards target. Ali Mabkhout was predictably his side’s most dangerous man, but his two attempts before the break missed the goal as Air Force Club took a narrow lead into the dressing room.

Substitute Alaa Abbas delivered an instant impact four minutes after replacing skipper Ahmed. The forward got on the end of a low cross from fellow substitute Muntadher Al Hasan and after his initial attempt was blocked by Khalifa Al Hammadi, he was quick to react and swept it home at the hour-mark for his seventh AFC Champions League goal, and fifth against Emirati opponents.

Within 120 seconds, Al Jazira were able to pull one back as South African midfielder Thulani Serero embarked on a bursting run down the right and fed Abdulla Ramadan who drilled home his side’s first with his left.

Ramadan turned from scorer to provider in the 77th minute as his first-time cross from the left side found its way to the path of Traore after a failed headed clearance from Air Force Club’s Togolese defender Wilson Akakpo and the youngster hammered it home on the half-volley for the equaliser.

With the game looking headed to end in a draw, Shareef Abdulkadhim picked up Abbas’ pass on the edge of the penalty area and whipped a stunning curler into the top corner to win it for his side in added time.