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AFC - Al Sadd SC secured their first win in the AFC Champions League Elite™ 2024-25 on Monday as an own goal from Hossein Hosseini and a second half penalty from Akram Afif earned Felix Sanchez’s side a 2-0 victory over Esteghlal FC at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.
The win takes the Qatari side onto four points from their first two games in the league phase while Islamic Republic of Iran's Esteghlal remain on three points following their opening round victory over Al Gharafa earlier in the month.
Hosseini punched the ball into his own goal with five minutes remaining in the first half and Afif netted from the penalty spot in the 68th minute after being hauled down by Rouzbeh Cheshmi to put the seal on a comfortable win for the hosts.
Afif had set up Boualem Khoukhi for an early sight of the target, the Al Sadd captain curling in a corner towards the six yard box that the defender headed over the bar.
Soon after Ramin Rezaeian was steering a header of his own wide of the home goal while Meshaal Barsham had to be at his sharpest to push Gustavo Blanco’s headed effort to safety, throwing himself to his right to deny the Argentinian forward.
With five minutes to go to the interval Hosseini quickly turned from hero to villain for the visitors, gifting Al Sadd the lead moments after denying the Qataris with a fine save when he pushed away Rafa Mujica’s effort for a corner.
Afif bent his set-piece towards the edge of the six-yard box and, under pressure from Roman Saiss, Hosseini’s mistimed punch sliced off his fist and into the Esteghlal goal.
Barsham then ensured Al Sadd took that lead into the interval with a diving save deep into injury time, the AFC Asian Cup winner palming Iman Salimi’s header to safety at another corner.
Al Sadd started the second half in search of a second, Paulo Otavio shooting straight at Hosseini while the goalkeeper went some way to redeeming himself soon after when he smothered the ball at Mujica’s feet as the Spaniard raced in on goal.
Hosseini continued to keep his team in the tie as the half wore on, blocking Mohamed Camara’s effort after the hour mark when the midfielder had stepped inside Cheshmi to create space for a goal-bound shot that the goalkeeper parried to safety.
But that resistance came to an end when Cheshmi cut Afif down in the area to concede a clear-cut spot-kick and the Qatar international stepped up to double the lead for Sanchez’s team with a typically confident strike down the middle as Hosseini dived to his left.
Al Sadd will welcome Persepolis FC of the Islamic Republic of Iran for their Matchday Three encounter on October 21 while Esteghlal will host Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr the following day.