First round of AFC Cup begins with Lebanon’s Al-Ahed defeating Neftchi from Uzbekistan

Ahmed Ibrahim—Special to Al-Shorfa Website
For Al-Shorfa.com
2009-03-18

Hamze Abboud of Lebanon's Al-Safa club (L) competes with Oman's Al-Suwaiq player Emmanuel Blanc during their group A AFC Cup football match in Muscat on March 10. (Photo by Mohammed Mahjoub/AFP/Getty Images)

The 2009 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup began with 16 games including many interesting matches between Arab teams. Here are the details:

Group A: Lebanon’s Al-Ahed defeated its Uzbek guests Neftchi 5-1 at Sports City Stadium in Beirut. Iraqi international Salih Sadir scored two goals for Al-Ahed, both on penalty kicks (45th and 75th minutes), while teammates Mohammed Halaweh, Da Silva Jr., and Ahmad Zreik scored goals in the 48th, 55th, 60th minutes respectively. Alisher Halikov scored Neftchi’s only goal in the 37th minute.

In the same group, the Bahraini club Busaiteen beat its Yemeni hosts Al-Tilal 3-1 in a match played at the May 22 Stadium. The goal scorers for Busaiteen were Basil Sultan in the 12th minute and Nigerian striker Robert Akaruye who scored twice, once in the 68th minute and again in the 82nd. Fathi Al-Jaber scored the only goal for Al-Tilal in the 59th minute.

Group B: Iraq’s Zawra'a cliched a solid 2-0 victory over the Yemeni club Al-Hilal Al-Saheli at the Al-Maktoum Stadium in the UAE city of Dubai. Zawra'a was ahead early in the first half thanks to a goal from Salar Abduljaabbar in the 6th minute followed by alternate Omar Kadhem who netted a second goal in the 88th minute. In the same group, Al-Safa from Lebanon defeated Omani hosts the Al-Suwaiq with a single goal made from Mohamed Qassas in the 24th minute. The match was held in Al Seeb Stadium.

Group C: Al-Arabi Kuwait scored a precious victory over the Omani club Al-Orouba in the Sabah Al Salem Stadium in the Kuwaiti capital with goals from Syrian international striker Firas Al-Khatib in the 38th minute and Khaled Khalaf in the 79th. The Iraqi club Arbil lost to its Lebanese hosts Al-Mabarrah on a single goal scored by Ali El-Atar in the 20th minute in a match held in Beirut’s Al Beladi Stadium.

Group D: Jordan’s Al-Wehdat tied with the Kuwaiti club Kuwait (1-1) in the King Abdullah Stadium in Amman. Kuwait took the lead on a goal from Faraj Laheeb in the 17th minute before Al-Wehdat tied the match in the 67th minute with a goal from Amer Deeb. Syrian club Al-Karamah defeated its Indian guests Mohun Bagan with a goal scored by Mohamad Al-Hamawi in the 59th minute in a match held at Khalid bin Al-Walid Stadium in Homs.

Group E: Indian club Dempo ensured a positive start to its competition by beating Syria’s Al-Maged with a goal scored by Nigerian Ranty Martins in the 24th minute. In the National Stadium in Manama, the Bahraini club Al-Muharraq (the title-holders) tied with its Jordanian guests Al-Faisaly nil-nil.

Group F: South China AA won over its guest the Indonesian club Medan 3-0, while Malaysia’s Johor had to settle for a draw on its own field with V.B. of the Maldives.

Group G: Thai club Chonburi defeated its guests Eastern Athletic from Hong Kong 4-1, and the Vietnamese Hanoi achieved a strong start, competing in the tournament for the first time, by beating its Malaysian guests Kedeh 3-1.

Group H: South China from Hong Kong tops the group following its 3-0 victory over the Indonesia’s Medan, and the Singaporean club Home United defeated its guest the Vietnamese club Becamex Binh Duong 2-1.

Second round matches of the AFC Cup were played on Tuesday, March 17th.

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