Sharjah seal Asian Champions League group berth through penalties

Sharjah FC from the United Arab Emirates wanted a penalty shootout to e book their place within the group part of this yr’s Asian Champions League on Tuesday as Cosmin Olaroiu’s facet eradicated Al Zawraa from Iraq.

Adel Al Hosani saved Ahmad Hasan’s effort to earn a 6-5 win on penalties to take Sharjah via after Khalid Bawazir’s 89th-minute spotkick had earlier cancelled out Saad Abdul Ameer’s opener for the Iraqis to take the sport into additional time.

The win strikes Sharjah into the group stage, the place they’ll meet defending champions Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan’s Istiklol and Al Rayyan from Qatar.Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawon additionally wanted penalties to advance after a 1-1 draw with Al Jaish, with Medran scoring the decisive effort to seal a 5-4 victory having seen Ahmad Al Salih miss the primary for the Syrians.

Al Taawon will tackle Qatar’s Al Duhail, Iranian membership Sepahan and Pakhtakor from Uzbekistan within the subsequent part, when the western half of the competitors kicks off on April 7.Nasaf Qarshi from Uzbekistan accomplished the group stage line-up for this yr’s continental championship with a 2-0 win over Baniyas of the UAE via targets from Sherzod Nasrullayev and Husain Norchayev.

They advance to the group stage to tackle former champions Al Sadd from Qatar, Jordanian facet Al Wehdat and Saudi Arabia’s Al Faisaly.

All 5 teams within the west of Asia are being performed in biosecure centralised hubs in cities throughout Saudi Arabia, with the winners and the three greatest runners-up advancing to the knockout rounds.