Ailing Al Ahli’s attempt to secure a first foray into the AFC Champions League knockout stages received a huge boost on Tuesday when Everton Ribeiro’s deflected winner earned a 1-0 win at Nasaf.
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The result saw the Red Knights rocket from bottom to second spot in Group D, courtesy of the winter signing’s most valuable contribution during a stuttering start to life in the Middle East.
Substitute Ribeiro struck courtesy of a wicked nick off defender Erkin Baydullaev on 81 minutes. The effort from the Brazil playmaker – acquired to great fanfare and cost from Cruzeiro – ended a six-match winless streak in Asia’s premier club competition for Al Ahli, breathing life into a previously-dreary campaign.
— Al Ahli Club (@AlAhliClub) April 7, 2015
Ahli’s springboard into the top two also owed much to leaders Al Ahli Jeddah’s revival in Iran, Omar Al Soma’s leveller at the death pegging back Tractor Sazi for a 2-2 draw.
Cosmin Olaroiu’s men must capitalise on the uplift caused by this moment when the ACL resumes with the trip to the Saudi Arabian pacesetters on April 22.
Ahli should have fallen behind in the first half when Nasaf forward Ilkhom Shomurodov shot limply at Dida – standing in for the suspended Majed Nasser – when played clean through.
Wayward UAE striker Ahmed Khalil then continued his awful spell in front of goal, shooting into the side netting after rounding Nasaf ‘keeper Eldorbek Suyunov.
An eighth stalemate from 11 ACL matches seemed a certainty until Ribeiro’s late intervention. Found by skipper Luis Jimenez on the right-hand side of the box, his deflected attempt wrong-footed Uzbekistan No. 1 Eldorbek Suyunov and spun into the goal. Ahli then survived Shohruh Gadoev’s narrow miss to claim victory.
