Rodrigo Tabata crushed Al Ahli’s hopes of making history and reaching the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League after the Brazilian’s second-half goal gave Al Sadd a 2-1 home victory and a ticket to the next round.
It was heartache for Ahli, who entered the match top of Group D and needing only a single point from the clash to qualify, but left the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium pitch stunned and eliminated, despite taking the lead first through an early Grafite strike.
But Khalfan Ibrahim Khalfan and Tabata completed a comeback for the Qatari side, who had conceded nine goals in their previous two Asian games.
The Red Knights were looking to continue their winning spree having picked up a domestic double, capturing the league two weeks ago, and the Arabian Gulf Cup last Saturday.
“We were unlucky in the match. Unfortunately we were exhausted after the cup final but the players had a lot of will and determination and I commend them for that,” said Ahli boss Cosmin Olaroiu.
“We have a beautiful team, we have room to improve, and I see a big future for us.”
Al Sadd, the 2011 Asian champions, started strong and threatened Ahmed Mahmoud’s net twice in the first five minutes, through a Mohamed Kasola header and another from Korea’s Lee Jung-Soo.
Hugo Viana signaled the intent of the visitors in the seventh minute when his missile-like free kick rocked the bar much to the relief of Sadd ‘keeper Saad Alsheeb.
But the Qataris weren’t given much of a reprieve as they conceded eight minutes later. A sprinting Ciel received a pinpoint through-pass and crossed over to a poorly-marked Grafite whose calmly-struck left-footed flick beat Kasola and landed in the far corner of the net to give the Dubai side an early lead.
The goal sparked a series of attacks from Sadd, who knew that getting the three points was their only hope of qualification. Just past the half hour mark, Khalfan latched onto a sublime back-heel from Lee and fired from 20 yards but his effort found the woodwork.
Three minutes later though, Khalfan scored the equaliser as he hustled between the Ahli defence, nudging the ball from the centre of the box past Mahmoud.
Sadd’s Abdulkarim Hassan almost put the hosts in front but his close range strike was heroically saved by Mahmoud.
Sadd brought in Spanish legend Raul Gonzalez to boost their front line in the second half but the Doha team did little to impress.
That was until Rodrigo Tabata, who had been mediocre thus far, turned the match on its heels 11 minutes from time. The 33-year-old Brazilian was fed the ball by Khalfan, before launching a stunner from outside the box that landed in the upper left corner of the net. And just like that, Al Sadd went from elimination to qualification, leaving Ahli in shock.
Grafite almost saved the day with a solo effort but his short range drill was blocked by Alsheeb, who also stopped Walid Abbas’ follow.
Al Sadd join Group D leaders Al Hilal in the next round, the Saudi club advancing after defeating Sepahan 1-0 in Riyadh
