Stunning Comeback for Al-Ahli and Shock Defeat for Al-Ittihad in the AFC Champions League

Saudi champions Al-Ahli achieved a remarkable comeback, overturning a two-goal deficit to beat Uzbekistan’s Nasaf 4-2 in the opening round of the AFC Champions League Elite. Meanwhile, Saudi league champions Al-Ittihad suffered a shocking defeat to UAE side Al-Wahda.

Playing at home in Jeddah, Al-Ahli found themselves trailing 2-0 after two goals from Husniddin Norchaev (35’ and 41’). But the defending Asian champions roared back in the second half with a quick-fire brace from Frenchman Enzo Millot (65’ and 68’), before Algerian star Riyad Mahrez struck a stoppage-time winner (90+2’), and Mohammed Suleiman sealed the result with a fourth goal deep into added time (90+15’).

Al-Ahli remain unbeaten since the start of the season, with four wins across all competitions and just one draw — against Al-Ettifaq in the domestic league.

Al-Ittihad, on the other hand, once again failed to overcome UAE opposition, losing 2-1 away to Al-Wahda in Abu Dhabi. They played without injured captain Karim Benzema and suspended midfielder N’Golo Kanté.

The visitors opened the scoring through a stunning strike from Dutchman Steven Bergwijn (21’), but were forced to play with ten men after Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti was sent off (37’). 

Caio Canedo equalized for the hosts (62’), before Lucas Pimenta netted a dramatic winner in stoppage time (90+8’) to deny Al-Ittihad their first-ever victory over UAE opposition after failing to win their last eight continental encounters. This result also means Al-Ittihad are winless against Al-Wahda in their last four games, while the Emirati side finally recorded their first-ever opening-round victory after seven failed attempts (six defeats and one draw).

Big Comeback for Sharjah Too

Just like Al-Ahli, UAE’s Sharjah pulled off a spectacular fightback, twice coming from behind to defeat Qatar’s Al-Gharafa 4-3 in a thriller that featured three penalties and a red card.

Al-Gharafa took a 2-0 lead through Algerian Yacine Brahimi (33’ pen) and Spaniard Joselu (45+4’), but Sharjah drew level in the space of two minutes through Albanian Rey Manaj (60’ pen) and Guinean Ousmane Camara (62’).

The Qataris regained the lead when Joselu converted a second penalty (73’), but the dismissal of goalkeeper Khalifa Abubakar after a VAR review proved to be the turning point. Manaj scored again to make it 3-3 (90+1’), before Brazilian substitute Igor Coronado completed the comeback with a stoppage-time winner (90+10’).

Elsewhere, Al-Sadd of Qatar drew 1-1 away to Iraq’s Al-Shorta.

Senegalese defender Dominique Mendy opened the scoring for Al-Shorta (28’), but Hassan Al-Haydos equalized for Al-Sadd (62’).