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AFC Champions League review: Duhail and Kashima hold the edge after first leg

In another first-leg tie, Japan's Kashima Antlers took a stranglehold in their tie against China's Tianjin Quanjian following a 2-0 win at the Kashima Stadium.

Al Duhail continued their impressive run

Doha, August 29: Qatar's Al Duhail club continued their impressive run in the AFC Champions League quarterfinals as they beat Iranian side Persepolis 1-0 at home to match a six-year-old record of successive wins in the competition.

In another first-leg tie, Japan's Kashima Antlers took a stranglehold in their tie against China's Tianjin Quanjian following a 2-0 win at the Kashima Stadium.

Having won all their matches in the group stages and then both legs of their round of 16, it was Duhail's ninth win in as many encounters, matching the 2012 record of Korean side Ulsan Hyundai.

At the Khalifa Stadium, it was a battle between one of the most attacking teams in the competition -- Duhail have scored the second highest number of goals (21) in the AFC Champions League this year -- versus one of the tightest defences as Persepolis had conceded the least number of goals (seven).

The all-important goal was scored in the 15th minute by Almoez Ali, who leaped over lunging Persepolis goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand and headed in a well-measured cross from the left by Edmilson Junior.

The promising 24-year-old Belgian-Brazilian, who joined the Qatari club from Standard Liege this year, was a constant menace from the left flank.

Kashima's deserved victory came thanks to second-half strikes from Brazilian duo Leo Silva and Serginho.

Tianjin's Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa, who has endured a difficult debut season in the Chinese Super League, came to Japan intending to frustrate the hosts. But his unambitious approach fell apart on the hour when midfielder Silva popped up unmarked to fire in.

Kashima, who themselves are struggling in the J-League, pushed for a second goal to take back to China and they got it when Serginho rifled in from outside the box on 72 minutes.

Defeat was a disheartening conclusion to a rocky couple of days for Sousa and Tianjin after they got stuck in traffic and missed their flight to Japan in what is the club's first season in the Champions League since they were formed 12 years ago -- hardly the preparation for the biggest game in their short history.

Kashima travel to Tianjin for their away match on September 18, a day after Duhail's match in Teheran's Azadi Stadium against Persepolis.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Story first published: Wednesday, August 29, 2018, 14:06 [IST]
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