AFC Champions League: West Zone wrap

Qatar’s El Jaish and Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates both reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday.

El Jaish 2-4 Lekhwiya (aggregate 6-4)

El Jaish were given a scare by compatriots Lekhwiya when they lost 4-2 at Doha but their 4-0 first leg win carried them through to the quarter-finals with a 6-4 aggregate won.

Lekhwiya played much of the second half with 10-men after they had Chico Flores sent off for a second bookable offence.

Lekhwiya started off by taking the attack to their opponents and were rewarded in the seventh minute with a goal when Alain Dioko Kaluyituka scored.

The home side fought back and managed to get the equaliser in the 37th minute when Sardor Rashidov levelled the score for El Jaish.

After going in at the break with the scores tied at 1-1, Lekhwiya dominated the second half and scored three goals.

Ismail Mohamad scored a brace in the 48th when he tapped in Ali Afif’s low cross. He scored again in the 62nd minute when El Jaish goalkeeper Khalifa Ababacar misjudged a cross and the ball fell to Mohamad to score.

Nam Tae-hee added another in the 65th minute when Lekhwiya were awarded a penalty after Mohamad Methnani handled the ball in the area and Nam scored with the spot-kick to make the score 5-4 on aggregate.

El Jaish were able to score their second goal of the match when Romarinho scored with a long-range screamer to get his side’s second goal of the match to take the aggregate to 6-4 in their favour and the win.
Zobahan 0-2 Al Ain (aggregate 1-3)

UAE side Al Ain travelled to defeat Zobahan of Iran 2-0 and 3-1 on aggregate to reach the last eight of the AFC Champions League.

The sides drew 1-1 in the first leg in the United Arab Emirates where the home side struggled to convert their chances.

The visitors scored early in the first half though Lee Myung-joo and then Danilo Asprilla got the second to seal the win for his side.

Al Ain had a chance in the eighth minute when Asprilla crossed the ball to Ali Hamam but he fired his shot over the bar from in front of goal.

But four minutes later the visitors opened the scoring when Abdulrahman received a pass and cut into the area and lay the ball off for Lee to curl a shot past goalkeeper Mohammadrashid Mazaheri to score.

The UAE side continued to attack and were nearly rewarded when Lee shot narrowly wide. The sides went in at the break with Al Ain leading 1-0.

In the 54th minute, Zobahan nearly were on level terms when Ismail Ahmed almost scored an own goal.

Al Ain doubled their lead in the 61st minute when Mohamed Abdulrahman put through a quality pass to Asprilla in the middle to slide the ball past Mazaheri to put his side 2-0 up and the win.