Al Ahli blank Al Khaleej in quarterfinals

Karimi in action against Al Khaleej. ©Gulf News

GulfNews - Defending champions Al Ahli blanked Al Khaleej 4-0 in the President's Cup quarterfinals at the at the Al Shaab stadium yesterday.

Al Ahli will meet Sharjah in the semifinals on May 22 to decide a finalist for the May 29 showdown. The match was not a tough battle for Al Ahli, who didn't have much difficulty in surpassing the runners-up of the second division, who won promotion to the first division last month.

Ahli could have scored many more goals had Faisal Khalil not lost a handful of easy chances. Even Ali Karimi was guilty of keeping the ball under his feet for longer time, which gave a chance for Khaleej defenders and their goalkeeper to effect many saves inside the penalty area.

Hasan Ali opened the scores for Al Ahli six minutes from kick off when Mashaal Abdul Wahab, the Khaleej defender, brought Ali Karimi down inside the box. The referee awarded a penalty kick for Ahli and Hasan made no mistake in sending the Khaleej keeper the wrong way.

Ahli continued their raids on Khaleej goal through Ali Karimi, Faisal, Qazimyan and excellent support from midfielders Hasan Ali and Salim Khamis.

Iranian Qazimyan hit the second in the 12th minute with a well-taken free kick from the edge of the penalty area. Qazimyan placed the ball superbly to the left of Salim Ahmed.

One minute later Faisal lost a scoring chance when he failed to capitalise on a good pass from Salim. His weak shot was saved by a defender before crossing the goalline.

Salim was unlucky to watch his lob hit the bar in the 34th minute. Faisal also lost another chance when he was put through by Salim. However, again his weak shot saved by the keeper.

Khaleej didn't show any sign of a serious attack on Ahli goal. Iraqi Razaq Farhan was left alone among three Ahli defenders and no one supplied him with real scoring chances as Ahli dominated the midfield area.

Salim Khamis scored the third goal for Ahli four minutes before the break when he barged through a open Khaleej defence. Salim advanced and sent a quick shot to the left of Salim.

Faisal was not lucky when he made the most brilliant move of the game. In the 53rd minute, Karimi passed to him inside the box, Faisal with his back to the Khaleej goal sent a scissors kick which hit the crossbar with Salim completely beaten on the goalline.

Khaleej regrouped in the second, but did not produce any real threat to the Ahli goal. Karimi and Faisal continued to miss sitters. However, in the 82nd minute Faisal compensated for his lapses by scoring the fourth by capitalising on a lose ball which was on its way out following a cross by Hamada.

Faisal controlled the ball, advanced inside the Khaleej penalty area and fired a right-footer into the top corner of the net to seal Al Ahli's victory and a spot in the last four.