A difficult qualification for Al-Ittihad and an easy one for Shabab Al Ahli in the AFC Champions League Elite

Saudi side Al-Ittihad and UAE’s Shabab Al-Ahli secured their places in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite, as the round of 16 matches concluded in Jeddah.

Al-Ittihad’s qualification came the hard way after a narrow 1-0 win over UAE’s Al-Wahda following extra time, while Shabab Al-Ahli advanced comfortably with a 3-0 victory over Iran’s Tractor.

In the first encounter at Al-Inmaa Stadium, Al-Ittihad needed patience before sealing their progression, with the decisive goal arriving in the closing moments of extra time through Brazilian midfielder Fabinho from the penalty spot.

The Saudi side entered the match with clear attacking intent, attempting to impose their rhythm from the outset, and nearly opened the scoring early with a powerful strike from Cameroonian Stéphane Keller, which was deflected out for a corner after hitting a defender.

Al-Wahda, however, did not sit back and created their own chances, with Belgian striker Christian Benteke’s header narrowly missing the target, while Al-Ittihad wasted several opportunities, particularly through Portuguese midfielder Danilo Pereira.

At the start of the second half, Al-Wahda looked the more dangerous side, controlling spells of the game and coming close to scoring, only for the post to deny Syrian forward Omar Khribin. Gradually, Al-Ittihad regained control and increased their attacking pressure, but a lack of finishing kept the score level at the end of regular time.

In extra time, the tempo dropped and clear chances became scarce, although there were attempts, including a header from Danilo that was saved with difficulty and another effort from Hassan Kadesh that went over the bar. Just as the match seemed destined for penalties, Al-Ittihad were awarded a spot-kick in stoppage time of the second extra-time period, which Fabinho converted to send his side through.

Shabab Al-Ahli make a strong statement

In the second match, Shabab Al-Ahli delivered a convincing performance, securing a 3-0 win over Tractor, with goals from Brazilian Yuri César, Iranian Saeid Ezatolahi, and Brazilian Matheus Lima. The turning point came when Tractor goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand was sent off in the 52nd minute, forcing his team to continue with ten men.

Shabab Al-Ahli entered the match determined to bounce back from disappointing domestic results and controlled the game from the outset, although the first half lacked clear-cut chances.

The second half, however, saw a complete shift in momentum following the red card, as the UAE side took full advantage of their numerical superiority. César opened the scoring from the penalty spot after a VAR review, before Ezatolahi doubled the lead with a precise finish from a pass by substitute Mohammed Juma. In stoppage time, Lima added the third goal to confirm his side’s dominance and secure a deserved place in the quarter-finals.

Al-Ittihad will now face Japan’s Machida Zelvia in the next round in what promises to be a competitive encounter, while Shabab Al-Ahli take on Thailand’s Buriram United as they aim to continue their successful continental campaign. The knockout matches for the West region are being held in a centralized format in Jeddah due to exceptional circumstances, with the final stages also set to take place in the city between April 16 and 25.