ACL Elite: Al Duhail, Sharjah share points

Doha, Qatar: Al Duhail SC and Sharjah FC settled for a 1 1 draw which kept their AFC Champions League (ACL) Elite Round of 16 hopes just about alive y...

Doha, Qatar: Al Duhail SC and Sharjah FC settled for a 1-1 draw which kept their AFC Champions League (ACL) Elite Round of 16 hopes just about alive yesterday.

The stalemate at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium took both sides to eight points, with their fates to be decided in next week’s final round of League Stage matches.

Both teams came into the tie needing victory, with Al Duhail having gone down 2-1 against Iranian side Tractor SC last time out, while Sharjah fell to a solitary goal against Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal SFC.

The home side threatened in the sixth minute with Jean-Charles Castelletto sending his glancing header off Benjamin Bourigeaud’s cross just wide of the right post, while Sharjah responded three minutes later with Matheus Saldanha forcing Al Duhail keeper Salah Zakaria into a save.

Al Duhail exposed Sharjah again a minute later when Sharjah goalkeeper Adel Al Hosani spilled Edmílson Junior’s close-range shot into the path of Adil Boulbina who, however, was flagged offside.