Al Sadd’s Abdelkarim Hassan celebrates after scoring a goal against Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf in Doha yesterday.
Doha: Al Sadd displayed a dominating performance to hand Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf a 4-0 thrashing in home tie, inching closer to the knockout stage of the 2018 AFC Champions League yesterday.
It seemed like an all-Al Sadd affair at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium as the Xavi-led side showed a fiery display to outclass their Uzbek counterparts for maximum points.
It was none other than superstar Xavi who gave the QNB Stars League (QSL) giants a flying start by scoring a goal in the third minute. The former Barcelona captain diverted Boualem Khoukhi’s cross to score his first-ever AFC Champions League goal.
Al Sadd doubled their lead in the 16th minute and this time it was a defender who got on the scoresheet. Full-back Abdelkarim Hassan finished off a surging solo run from the halfway line with a fierce strike that left Nasaf keeper Sanjar Kuvvatov with no chance of saving.
Baghdad Bounedjah then gave the Qatari side a comfortable 3-0 cushion at half time, with the Algerian netting his fifth goal of the tournament with an acrobatic overhead kick in the 43rd minute.
Fellow Algerian Jugurtha Hamroun, who had provided the assist for Bounedjah, got a goal of his own in the 71st minute, smashing in a low shot past Kuuvatov to round off a quick counter-attack.
The big win sends Al Sadd to the top of Group C with nine points from four games, and leaves them needing four points to qualify for the Round of 16. They host bottom of the group Al Wasl on Matchday Five when Nasaf welcome Persepolis to Uzbekistan.
An Al Sadd win coupled with Nasaf failing to beat Persepolis would see the Qatari and Iranian sides advance with a game to spare.
Meanwhile, Persepolis earned an important 1-0 away victory thanks to a goal from Kamal Kamyabinia that officially eliminated Al Wasl from the competition.
It took five minutes for the hosts to make their first attempt through a shot from Abdalla Al Naqbi that was saved by goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.
Eight minutes before half time, Persepolis broke the deadlock when Hossein Mahini delivered a pinpoint cross into the box to Kamyabinia who headed into the near corner.
A fourth consecutive defeat leaves Al Wasl bottom of Group C with no hope of advancing to the next stage ahead of trip to face Al Sadd.
