In a tense fixture characterised by physical gameplay, Al Sadd came out on top, yet things fell on the opposite side for Al Rayyan at home — again.

Al Sadd delivered a resilient defensive performance to secure a narrow 1-0 victory against Iran’s Persepolis on Monday, while Al Rayyan fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli in the ongoing AFC Champions League (ACL) Elite.

Matheus Uribe’s goal two minutes into the first half’s added minutes was Al Sadd’s defining moment against Iran’s Persepolis in front of 4,071 spectators in Doha’s Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

Matheus Uribe’s decisive goal in the added minutes of the first half proved crucial for Al Sadd, who played in front of 4,071 spectators at Doha’s Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

Following the goal, Felix Sanchez’s side effectively defended their lead, achieving their second win of the ACL Elite campaign after a draw against UAE’s Al Ain and a previous victory over Iranian side Esteghlal.

Solid performances from centre-backs Boualem Khoukhi and Romain Saiss, coupled with a stellar display from goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham, helped Al Sadd secure all three points, taking their tally up to seven points from three games.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game and I’m proud of the players’ commitment to defend and get the result,” Sanchez said after the game. “These three points will be important for us going ahead in the tournament.”

In terms of attacking play, Sanchez’s side struggled to match their opponents and created few chances throughout the game.

From the outset, Al Sadd faced relentless pressure from a high-pressing Persepolis team, which aimed to disrupt the home side’s ability to build from the back.

That approach bore fruits for the visitors — made evident by nine shots that Persepolis had on goal before the break, compared to Al Sadd’s six.

Persepolis came close to scoring in the 37th minute as forward Lucas Joao’s blocked shot fell to Masoud Rigi, who had an open goal but saw his shot cleared by Al Sadd’s Guilherme Torres.

Guilherme then had to pull off another clearance four minutes after the first one to keep the tie goalless.

Against the run of play, however, Uribe capitalised on Akram Afif’s corner at the opposite end to give Al Sadd the lead at the stroke of halftime.

The Colombian midfielder beat goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz at the far post with a gentle dink at a crucial moment before the break.

Persepolis’ attacking display only improved in the second half, winning balls from the midfield to start unrelenting attacks at Al Sadd’s post.

Al Sadd’s shot-stopper was called to action multiple times and pulled off five saves and a clearance to save the night.

The drama unfolded in the 77th minute as Persepolis’ Joao was tripped by Paulo Otavio inside the box, prompting a VAR check for a potential penalty, which was eventually ruled out, to the outrage of the away fans.

Persepolis head coach Juan Carlos Garrido later said his side were “extremely unlucky” to not have won the game, despite playing well and creating more chances than their opponents.

“Was that not a penalty?” Garrido said, referring to the penalty call. “Sorry, but for me it is very simple. That action is clearly a penalty.”

Garrido also mentioned the VAR intervention that occurred in Persepolis’ game against Al Ahli last match-day, blaming it for repeated stoppages.

“It is unfair on us,” he added. “We deserved to win more than them [Al Sadd] today […] but things like these happen in football.”

Persepolis came close to scoring when Omid Alishah, who had tormented the Al Sadd defence all night, hit the post five minutes into the stoppage time.

Al Sadd head coach Sanchez hailed his side’s defensive performance, adding their plans had worked against Garrido’s side.

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I respect that,” Sanchez responded to the Persepolis head coach.

“We played our game, they played theirs. We adapted to the situation well and deserved the result after 90 to 100 minutes of intense hard work.”

Al Rayyan fall short of a home win again

Al Rayyan’s quest for their first ACL Elite victory of the season came undone against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli, who secured a 2-1 win at Al Rayyan’s Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.

Gabri Viega opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a shot from a tight angle, giving Al Ahli an early lead. Firas Al-Burakain extended the advantage twelve minutes later, finishing off a well-placed cross from Riyad Mahrez.

Though Fahad Al Hamad pulled one back for Al Rayyan just five minutes after the hour mark, Al Ahli’s solid defence managed to maintain their lead with relative ease.

“We had to pay the price for making mistakes early in the game,” Al Rayyan head coach Younes Ali said after the defeat. “We tried, but we could not create opportunities. We did not have the ferocity with which we appeared in previous matches.”

Although the second half saw Al Rayyan create more chances, but they could not convert any into goals, managing only a consolation when as Al Hamad inadvertently scored in his own net.

This loss marks Al Rayyan’s third defeat in Asia this season, all against Saudi teams, leading to frustration among the home fans as the final whistle blew.

“We entered this match with the ambition to regain the chances of qualification [to the next round] and not to enter into complex calculations,” Ali said.

With the win, Al Ahli sit level on points with fellow Saudi side Al Hilal, winning all three opening matches of the West Region in the ongoing ACL Elite campaign.