Al Ahli Saudi beat Al Gharafa 2-1
Al Ahli Saudi beat Al Gharafa 2-1 in the AFC Champions League, with Matheus Gonçalves scoring the winner in the 86th minute after the visitors had been reduced to ten men.
Al Ahli Saudi beat Al Gharafa 2-1 in the AFC Champions League, with Matheus Gonçalves scoring the winner in the 86th minute after the visitors had been reduced to ten men.
Al Ahli made a fast start. Ivan Toney put them ahead in the fourth minute, set up by Eduard Spertsyan, and the home side held that 1-0 lead until half-time.
Al Gharafa drew level early in the second half. Florinel Coman scored in the 53rd minute from a pass by Saifeldeen Fadlalla.
The match turned in the 77th minute, when Al Gharafa defender Seydou Sano was sent off, leaving the visitors with ten men. Al Ahli made the extra man count in the 86th minute through Gonçalves, and that late goal decided the match.
Line-ups
Al Ahli Saudi 4-2-3-1
Substitutes Ramez Al Attar, Valentin Atangana, Feras Al-Brikan, Salman Al-Jadani, Makaya Diaby, Faisal Ibrahim Ahmed Fallatah, Meshal Ibrahim Al Mutairi, Abdullah Radif, Abubacarr Kinteh, Abdullah Abdo, Rayane Hamidou
Al Gharafa 4-2-3-1
Substitutes Yacine Brahimi, Amjed Nasar Mohamed, Mahmood Gamal, Rayyan Faragalla, Dame Traoré, Khalifa Abu Baker, Yousef Ahmed, Abdirashid Saeed Hassan, Jamil Friarkh, Ayoub Al-Oui
