Qatar’s Gharafa blow semi-final chance








A lapse in concentration in the last three minutes of extra time shattered Qatar champions Al Gharafa’s AFC Champions League semi-final hopes last night as their opponents Al Hilal scored two late goals to enter the last four of the tournament 5-4 on aggregate.
The quarter-finals second leg match at the Al Gharafa Stadium saw the hosts produce a stunning display in the opening 45 minutes to go 3-0 up.
Al Gharafa, playing without their talisman midfielder Juninho due to ankle injury, made their intentions clear from the first whistle and Mirghani al-Zain opened their account as early as in the third minute.
Al Hilal, who held a 3-0 lead from the first leg in Riyadh, gradually imposed themselves on the game but the home side looked dangerous on the breaks.
Playing without their talisman midfielder Juninho, Al Gharafa were banking heavily on Younus Mahmoud to produce magic.
The Iraqi striker rose to the occasion netting first of the night’s two goals in the 37th minute to give Al Gharafa a 2-0 lead. Four minutes later Al Gharafa sniffed an upset victory with Georges Koussy putting them 3-0 up at half time.
And when Younus completed his brace in the 102nd minute, they looked well on course to emulate the record of Korea’s Suwon Bluewings to recover from a deficit wider than two goals to progress in the competition.
But it was not to be. Al Gharafa defence caved in inexplicably that saw Al Hilal score twice inside three minutes into the death of the extra time. Saudi Arabia international Yasser al-Qahtani gave them an away goal cushion in the 117th minute and two minutes later, Essa al-Mehyani scored another to secure their place in the semi-finals.
The highly charged match ended with Al Gharafa being reduced to 10 men when Bilal Abdulrahman was shown a red card moments before the close of play.
Al Hilal will now meet Iranian side Zobahan in the semi-finals after their 3-2 aggregate win over defending champions Pohang Steelers.
Meanwhile, AFP report says the Steelers went into their match chasing a 2-1 deficit from the first leg against Iran Pro League leaders Zobahan and looked like they might overturn it when Kim Jae-Sung pounced in the 10th minute to put them level on aggregate.
With the deadlock unbroken late in the second-half, it seemed destined for extra-time until Mohamad Reza Khalatbari stunned the hosts in the 80th minute to put his team into the last four.
The only sour point for Zobahan was the dismissal of Mehdi Rajabzadeh three minutes from time, meaning he will miss the semi-final.
South Korea’s most successful club Seongnam Ilhwa held their nerve to make the semi-finals yesterday, but title-holders Pohang Steelers were sent packing.
Seongnam, who have won seven K-League crowns, took a healthy 4-1 first leg lead into their clash with fellow Koreans Suwon Bluewings.
But a first-half goal from winger Yeom Ki-Hun and a second-half strike from the impressive Lee Sang-Ho tested their mettle at the Suwon World Cup Stadium.
In the end, Seongnam’s defence held up under the pressure and they went through 4-3 on aggregate.
The final of Asia’s top club competition will be held in Tokyo on November 13, with the winner qualifying for the lucrative FIFA Club World Cup.




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