(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Chinthana Wasala
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The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Marco Verratti's 75th-minute equaliser rescued Al Arabi as they shared points with Kuwait's Al Qadsia following a 1-1 draw in their opening Group B encounter of the Gulf Champions League in Doha, yesterday.
In yesterday's second Group B match, Al Ettifaq (Saudi Arabia) beat Bahrain's Al Riffa 3-1 in Dammam to go top.
Al Arabi and Al Qadsia - with a point each - are in second and third spots respectively, while Al Riffa are at the bottom of the table.
Al Arabi coach Anthony Hudson was content with team's performance in the opener.
“I am satisfied with the performance the team showed in the match against Kuwait's Al Qadsia. We could have achieved a better result than a draw,” Hudson said.
Al Qadsia coach Zeljko Petrovic noted the outcome was fair.
“I believe the draw in today's match was fair. We faced a strong opponent, and the outcome of the game was realistic.
In a seemingly uneventful first half at Al Thumama Stadium which saw both teams failing to find the back of the net despite a few half-chances, the visitors held an edge in possession.
However, Al Arabi could have taken the lead had Rodri Sanchez not missed a golden opportunity sending the ball wide from a good position in the 25th minute.
The deadlock ended soon after the break when Al Qadsia's Igor Rossi struck in the 56th minute. Left unmarked, the Brazilian defender headed a fine Mohammed Soula cross from a close range to give his side a lead.
However, Al Arabi quickly responded to level the scores, but not without the interference of the VAR.
In the 75th minute, Verratti found the equaliser with a brilliant kick after receiving Ahmed Alaaeldin's pass, putting Al Arabi back in the game. However, the referee consulted the VAR before declaring the goal. The confusion occurred after it looked like the ball crossed the line before Youssef Msakni made the pass to Alaaeldin during the same run of play.
Following the equaliser, both teams pressed hard to take the lead, but neither could break the deadlock as the teams went on to share the spoils.
Next up in the Gulf Champions League, Al Arabi will meet Bahrain's Al Riffa at the Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town, on November 5. In the remaining Group B matches, Al Arabi will take on Al Ettifaq (Saudi Arabia) in Doha on November 27 and in Dammam on December 4, Al Qadsia in Hawally on February 5, 2025 and Al Riffa in Doha on February 18, 2025.
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