Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah shoots at the goal during the AFC Champions League match against Persepolis at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha yesterday.
DOHA: Algerian forward Baghdad Bounedjah scored his second successive brace in the 2018 AFC Champions League (ASL) group stage to lead QNB Stars League (QSL) giants Al Saad to a comfortable 3-1 victory over visiting Persepolis yesterday.
At Al Sadd Stadium, Jesualdo Ferreira’s men began to dominate the proceedings right from the star. Al Sadd’s promising front row which was strengthened by Barca legend Xavi Hernandez, young Akram Afif and Bounedjah, linked well in attacking the Iranians.
Their dominance paid off in the 36th minute when an unmarked Bounedjah surged into the box to meet Afif’s cross and head in the first goal.
After ending the first period without a shot on target, Persepolis came into the second half, looking to make amends.
However, the visitors’ hopes were dashed as Bounedjah got on the scoresheet once again in the 51st minute. A clever assist from Xavi set up the 26-year-old striker, who took his time in the box before netting with a curled finish for his fourth goal of the campaign.
Al Sadd added a third in the 66th minute, as substitute Boualem Khoukhi scored with a stinging shot after being teed up by Ali Asad.
The hosts were denied a clean sheet deep into additional time after Persepolis struck a consolation goal through Siamak Nemati, with the very last kick of the game.
Al Sadd travel to Uzbekistan to face Nasaf on Matchday Three while Persepolis host UAE’s Al Wasl in Tehran.
Earlier, Al Rayyan and hosts Al Ain shared spoils with a 1-1 draw at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in UAE yesterday.
The home side got off to a fine start and found the target in the 10th minute when Marcus Berg converted from the penalty spot after Caio Fernandes was fouled inside the box.
However, the Qatari football giants got back into the game in a similar fashion when Abderrazzaq Hamdallah was hurdled inside the six-yard-box and stepped up to take the resulting penalty kick himself to level the scores in the 28th minute.
Rayan Yaslam’s effort from outside the box for Al Ain was the closest either side came to adding a second after the break as the final whistle announced a second draw for the two Group D sides.
Al Rayyan travel to Riyadh to take on Al Hilal in their next AFC Champions League encounter on March 6.
