Al-Ahly narrowly qualified for the next round after its fatal victory over Al-Duhail with a score of 1-0, in an exciting confrontation that extended to extra time in the AFC Champions League competitions for the elite.
The match witnessed strong competition from the starting whistle, as Al-Ahly imposed its control over the course of the game, possessing the ball by 61%, compared to 39% for Al-Duhail, and also excelled in the number of shots with 21 attempts against 12.
Despite this superiority, the two teams failed to score during regular time, so the two halves ended in a goalless draw, in light of the defensive solidity of both sides and the brilliance of the goalkeepers.
With the start of extra time, the excitement continued, as Al-Duhail player Ivan Tony missed a valuable opportunity to score the lead goal after missing a penalty kick in the 105th + 7th minute, which constituted an important turning point in the match.
In the second extra half, Riyad Mahrez succeeded. In breaking the deadlock, he scored the winning goal in the 117th minute, taking advantage of one of the decisive opportunities to give his team the qualification card.
Al-Duhail tried to come back in the last minutes, but Al-Ahly maintained its lead thanks to its defensive organization and experience in managing decisive moments.
With this victory, Al-Ahly continues its continental journey with confidence, while Al-Duhail leaves the tournament after a strong match during which it was close to tipping the scales had it not been for missing the timed penalty kick. Decisive.