MUSCAT, OCT 15
Al Shabab began their Gulf Club Champions League campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Qatar’s Al Duhail at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on Wednesday, leaving the Omani side seeking their first points in Group A.
Almoez Ali scored twice, opening the scoring in the seventh minute and doubling the hosts’ advantage in the 51st, before Sekou Oumar Yansane completed the victory in the 77th minute.
The result placed Al Duhail second in the group with three points, behind Saudi Arabia’s Neom on goal difference. Al Shabab occupy third place, ahead of Yemen’s Shaab Hadramout, who lost their opening match 4-0 to Neom.
Al Duhail made an early breakthrough following a move down the right. Tahseen Mohamed advanced along the flank and delivered a cross into the penalty area, where Almoez met the ball with a firm finish to put the hosts ahead.
Al Shabab sought a response and threatened an equaliser in the 22nd minute. Hussain Saeed struck a powerful effort from outside the penalty area, but Al Duhail goalkeeper Salah Zakaria produced a save to preserve his side’s lead.
ATTACKING PUSH
The hosts subsequently renewed their attacking efforts and went close to adding a second shortly before the interval. Almoez turned provider with a cross for Tahseen, whose header in the 42nd minute was saved by the Al Shabab goalkeeper.
That intervention kept the visitors within one goal at the break, but Al Duhail extended their advantage six minutes into the second half. Boubakary Soumare supplied a pass inside the penalty area for Almoez, who struck firmly with his left foot to claim his second goal of the evening.
The finish left Al Shabab facing a two-goal deficit with most of the second half remaining. The visitors were unable to find a way back, while Al Duhail added a third through Yansane with 13 minutes of normal time remaining.
Yansane worked his way into the penalty area, created space and drove a low shot into the net to complete the scoring. Al Duhail maintained their clean sheet through the closing stages to secure all three points.
Al Shabab will next host Neom at Al Rustaq Sports Complex on Tuesday, October 27, in the second round of group matches. The encounter offers the Omani club an opportunity to open their account against the early group leaders and recover from their defeat in Doha.
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