Al-Ahli's Dramatic Comeback Secures Victory Against Nasaf In AFC Champions League Opener

Al-Ahli's head coach, Matthias Jaissle, expressed delight as his team staged a thrilling late comeback to defeat Nasaf 4-2 in their AFC Champions League Elite opener. The match seemed grim for Al-Ahli after a lacklustre first half, with Husain Norchaev netting twice for Nasaf in the 34th and 41st minutes, giving them a 2-0 lead at halftime.After the break, Al-Ahli showed resilience. Enzo Millot scored twice within three minutes, levelling the score by the 68th minute. Despite looking like they might miss out on a comeback, Riyad Mahrez scored in the 94th minute with a low shot past Abduvohid Ne'matov, putting Al-Ahli ahead. This was followed by Alibek Davronov's red card for fouling Ivan Toney in the 103rd minute.Mohammed Sulaiman secured the victory two minutes later with a close-range goal. This win marked Al-Ahli's first home victory in an AFC Champions League Elite match when trailing at halftime since April 2015. It was a crucial three points for Jaissle's squad.Reflecting on the match, Jaissle stated, "It was a difficult match. We weren't fully present in the first half and conceded twice, but we knew we had to show our character in the second half. " He praised his players' spirit and determination during the comeback.The coach added that witnessing his team play with unity alongside their fans was fantastic. He expressed pride in their performance and highlighted how important it was to secure a win after scoring four goals with such passion.

Al-Ittihad Faces Setback

While Al-Ahli celebrated their victory, Al-Ittihad faced disappointment as they lost their opening match 2-1 against Al Wadha. Steven Bergwijn initially put Laurent Blanc's team ahead in the first half. However, Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti received a red card before halftime.Caio Canedo equalised for Al Wadha before Lucas Pimenta clinched the win in the 98th minute. This result contrasted sharply with Al-Ahli's success and highlighted the challenges teams face in this competitive league.Al-Ahli has now achieved an eight-match winning streak in the Champions League Elite, marking their longest run of victories since at least the 2013-14 season. Their strong start sets a positive tone for their campaign as they aim to defend their title successfully.