Shabab Al-Ahly regained the required balance in the decisive moments

Shabab Al-Ahly coach, Portuguese Paulo Sousa, revealed that his team went through difficult moments during the match against Buriram United, Thailand, the day before yesterday, but it succeeded in regaining its balance in the decisive moments thanks to the technical changes, to secure qualification to the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League for the elite, after winning 3-2 after extending the match time for two additional periods, in an exciting match hosted by Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah.

The confrontation was full of fluctuations, after the “Dubai Knights” imposed their advantage at the beginning, and succeeded in taking the lead by two goals, before the Thai team returned and equalized the score, taking advantage of the decline in concentration, to enter the match in a more complicated atmosphere that extended to two additional halves, which were decided by Shabab Al-Ahly with a fatal goal signed by defender Renan.

Pauloa Sousa said in a press conference after the end of the match: “It was a match in which we had many chances, but their goalkeeper saved many of them, including a dangerous chance from Youri Cesar. When we led 2-0, we were unable to maintain control, and we allowed them to return, but in the end we achieved a deserved victory and qualified for the semi-finals.”

He added: “We lost balance within the team, but we restored it through changes. Technically and tactically, we were good and created chances. I am not completely satisfied, but I am happy to qualify.”

Sousa’s reading of the match proved effective, after he brought on both Sultan Adel and Sergio Damian, so that the team regained control of the course of the match at crucial times, which was reflected in the performance in the two extra halves.

The match witnessed the brilliance of player Renan, who was not satisfied with his defensive role, but rather posed a clear attacking threat and contributed to the second goal, before scoring the winning goal in the third minute of the first extra period, to lead his team to the semi-finals.

For his part, Renan expressed his happiness at qualifying, saying: “It was a difficult match, but we showed a strong personality and good control. We may have lost some focus, but we maintained confidence and desire to win until the end.”

This qualification is a milestone in Shabab Al-Ahly’s journey, which returns to the semi-finals for the first time since 2015, which reflects the team’s development and its restoration of its continental presence.

The Shabab Al-Ahly team had begun its journey in the tournament by occupying sixth place in the West Asia group, with 11 points from eight matches, where they achieved three victories and two draws against three losses, before they succeeded in raising their performance level during the knockout rounds.

In the round of 16, Shabab Al-Ahly played one of its best matches, after defeating Iranian Tractor by three clean goals, to confirm its ability to compete against strong teams, and to give its fans positive indicators before entering the decisive rounds.

For its part, the Buriram United team qualified for the East region after occupying fourth place with 14 points, before beating Melbourne City of Australia on penalties in the round of 16, which gave the quarter-final confrontation an equal character from the beginning.

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A strong confrontation against Japan’s Machida

Shabab Al-Ahly is preparing for a strong confrontation against Japan’s Machida Zelvia in the semi-finals, tomorrow, at 20:15 UAE time, in an anticipated match during which the “Dubai Knights” seek to continue their journey towards the title, and repeat the achievement of reaching the final, benefiting from the high morale and ability to deal with the most difficult scenarios on the field.