ACL 2018: Al Duhail solid in narrow Zobahan win [Analysis]

AFC – ISFAHAN, Al Duhail extended their AFC Champions League winning streak to five games with a dogged performance in their 1-0 win over Zobahan on Tuesday.

The Qatari champions continue to look unstoppable, and despite a couple of wobbles away at the Foolad Shahr Stadium, they held on to preserve their perfect record in the AFC Champions League this season.

Absence of both Youssefs keenly felt
With qualification to the round of 16 already sealed, coach Djamel Belmadi opted to spare attacking duo Youssef El Arabi and Youssef Msakni the trip to Isfahan, instead utilising the 2017 AFC U23 top goal scorer Al Moez Ali in the lone striker role.

With 66 goals in all competitions between them this season, it is fair to say that the North African pair are the heartbeat of Al Duhail’s devastating attack this season. As such, it was always going to be a tall order for young Ali to lead the line on his own against Zobahan.

The Qatari international managed just under 1,400 minutes in all competitions since the beginning of the 2017/18 season, mostly starting out wide or coming off the bench as an impact sub. When given the opportunity to start against Zobahan, in an admittedly difficult away encounter, the 21-year-old mustered a single shot throughout the match and his sole strike missed the target by some distance.

Red Knights finally secure first Champions League clean sheet this season
Despite winning their first four matches in Group B, Al Duhail had yet to register a single clean sheet prior to Tuesday. The Belmadi’s men conceded two goals in back-to-back matches against Al Wahda and Lokomotiv respectively, before needing an injury time brace from El Arabi to rescue them from defeat in Tashkent on Matchday Four.

Goalkeeper Amine Lecomte played a starring role in his side’s shut-out of the hosts, coming to the rescue with two crucial saves from Kiros and Milad Fakhreddini.

Luiz Junior was tasked with shielding Al Duhail’s back four, alongside Bassam Husham, and the Brazilian-born Qatar international tidily went about his business; Junior won three tackles, including a crucial effort inside his own area, and recovered possession for the visitors eight times, the second-highest among his teammates.

Zobahan must address attacking problems
A crucial away encounter against Lokomotiv in two weeks’ time will determine the identity of the team who will join runaway Group B leaders Al Duhail in the Round of 16. The Isfahan based club wasted two golden chances to score against Al Duhail, and were punished accordingly.

The shooting map (above) shows that while Zobahan had several close range attempts on Tuesday, only two were on target, and both were easily saved. If the Iranians are to triumph in their final Group B match, they will have to be more clinical in the final third.