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Lebanon’s Al Ahed romp to win over Al Suwaiq

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BEIRUT: Mohamad Kdouh netted a hat-trick as Lebanon’s Al Ahed romped to a 4-2 victory over Oman’s Al Suwaiq in the AFC Cup at a rainy Camille Chamoun Sport City Stadium on Monday. Both sides came into the matchday three encounter with no wins in their tally, although Al Ahed were two points better off having collected two draws while Al Suwaiq had lost both their first two games. The hosts wasted no time in getting forward, and their attacking intent was rewarded with a goal within the opening 60 seconds through defender Nour Mansour.


Hussein Monzer exchanged short passes with Ahmed Zreik at the corner, before the former’s drilled ball into the box found its way to Mansour who was unmarked at the far post and had the composure to finish emphatically from close range.


The Lebanese side doubled their lead 16 minutes into the first half through Kdouh. Ghanaian midfielder Issah Yakubu supplied a defence-splitting through pass to Kdouh whose run broke the offside trap and the striker was left with a simple finish past the helpless Ammar al Rusheidi.


The Omani goalkeeper denied Al Ahed a third goal just after the half-hour mark as Yakubu latched onto a long pass from his own goalkeeper Mehdi Khalil and fired from a narrow angle, but Al Rusheidi parried it away.


Thamer al Zaabi pulled one back for Al Suwaiq before the half-time break. The forward benefitted from Fahad al Jalaboubi’s pass above the Lebanese defence to head home from close distance in the 37th minute.


The second half started in an identical fashion to the first, with Al Ahed again looking to start with a bang. Kdouh broke free on the right within a minute of the restart and supplied a superb cross for Zreik, but the quality of the latter’s finish did not match the assist and he sent his effort high from point-blank.


The goal would eventually arrive at the hour-mark through a combination of the same pair. Zreik found space down the left wing and attempted his luck from a narrow angle, but his shot was parried by Al Rusheidi.


Kdouh was perfectly positioned to capitalise on the rebound and add his second and Al Ahed’s third of the night.


Al Suwaiq’s night went from bad to worse nine minutes later as Kdouh rose highest to head Monzer’s corner. The forward saw his initial header cleared off the goal-line but he followed through to sweep home the hat-trick, making it 4-1 in the 69th minute.


Having lost their first away game 2-0 against Qadsia, Al Suwaiq bagged their second goal on the road five minutes from time through Khalil al Alawi. The substitute collected Yaseen al Sheyadi’s through pass and calmly finished past his namesake to make it 4-2 at the final whistle.


Al Ahed move up to five points from three matches, while Al Suwaiq remain bottom of Group C with no points after three consecutive defeats.


The two teams meet again in Oman in two weeks’ time with Al Suwaiq needing a win to stand any chance of competing for qualification to the knock-out stages.


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