a day ago
Al Duhail rally from being a goal down to beat Sepahan, secure Elite berth
Bamba, Boulbina and Piatek score goals for the
Red KnightsAFC
Doha
Qatar Stars League side Al Duhail overturned an early deficit to hand Foolad Mobarakeh Sepahan FC a 3-2 defeat in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025-26 Preliminary Stage on Tuesday.
Amin Hazbavi gave the side from the Iran a third minute lead but goals from Ibrahima Bamba, Adil Boulbina and Krzysztof Piatek by the 33rd minute saw Djamel Belmadi's outfit secure victory. Milad Zakipour scored a late consolation for Sepahan.
The result means Al Duhail will be one of the 12 clubs participating in the league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite from West Asia, with the draw due to take place in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Al Duhail's success came despite Sepahan taking the lead with a little over two minutes on the clock, Arya Yousefi's long throw towards the six-yard box slipping through the Al Duhail defence to allow defender Hazbavi to step forward and coolly side-foot home.
The Iranian side's advantage was to last only nine minutes, however, as Bamba charged into the Sepahan penalty area to meet Benjamin Bourigeaud's corner and power his header into the top corner.
By the 24th minute Al Duhail had gone in front through a moment of exceptional skill from Boulbina, who pulled down Tuta's pass from deep with his first touch and then smashed his shot past Seyed Hossein Hosseini via the underside of the crossbar with his second.
The Red Kbihts side doubled their lead 12 minutes before the break as Piatek ruthlessly punished a mistake by Ehsan Hajisafi, intercepting the midfielder's pass to race in on goal and give Hosseini little chance with a thumping strike.
Bourigeaud saw his shot tipped onto the crossbar by Hosseini with four minutes left in the half and Boulbina dragged his attempt wide at the end of a rapid-fire break as Al Duhail's dominance continued until the break.
Al Duhail goalkeeper Salah Zakaria made a flying save to keep out Kaveh Rezaei's dipping free kick in the 51st minute as Sepahan sought to claw their way back into the game, with the Qatari goalkeeper responding again seven minutes later to deny Arash Rezavand.
Hajisfai was unable to curl his left-foot effort inside Zakaria's right post with 15 minutes remaining but, while Zakipour bundled the ball over the line from close range in the third minute of injury time, Al Duhail held on to progress.
Scoreline: Al Duhail 3 (A Bamba 11', A Boulbina 24', K Piatek 33') bt Sepahan FC 2 (A Hazbavi 3', M Zakipour 90+3')
