AFC Champions League: Al-Sadd come up short in frustrating draw against Sharjah

(Report: Sudesh Baniya, Photos: Renjith Raju)

Doha: Bruno Miguel hurled a bottle as soon as the final whistle followed Akram Afif’s shot that flew high. Such was the game, fueled by a pulsating home support that everything on the ground – from touchline antics to the one-on-ones – came down to the wire.

Everything seemed destined for an opening-day win for the home side, in what would be their first perfect start since 2017/18. Except it did not trouble the scorers much. For Al Sadd’s longing to start the AFC Champions League campaign with absolute points, it all ended in frustration with a goalless draw at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

Al Sadd’s horrors of the past seemed to have returned, particularly in the tenth minute of the second half. What seemed like an opening, after Baghdad Bounedjah’s galloping run earned a penalty, quickly got demoted into remorse as the Algerian striker’s effort struck the right post and went out.

While Miguel’s side was clearly the better one on the day, Sharjah came to Doha with a plan and returned home successfully. Afif’s runs, combined with skipper Hassan Al-Haydos and Paulo Otavio’s complimentary movements, did mobilize Al Sadd on a couple of occasions, although to no good cause.

On the flip side, though, Sharjah banked on the areas where their opponents failed to compensate. Attacking from the wide was definitely an option preferred by Cosmin Olaroiu yet Pedro Miguel had an answer to almost everything and so did Tarek Salman in the middle.

The trump card, however, was exploiting the center, using experienced campaigner Milarem Pjanic’s expertise. To the travelling supporters’ dismay, the Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder rocketed one above the bar after being through in the 70th minute – a missed effort in what could have been a story to tell for the 2004 semifinalists.

What kept almost 10,000 supporters at the Jassim bin Hamad stadium on their toes were the physical battles that sprung since the opening minutes. Every conceded foul was jeered upon and even the slightest of contacts drew cacophony. For a crowd that probably was the best of its kind since the pandemic for the 2011 champions, a trip to Uzbekistan will be a tough one, even goading if they remain winless when they host Al Faisaly in October.