Bounedjah shines as Al Sadd stage stunning comeback against Al Wasl
Dubai: Baghdad Bounedjah struck twice late as Al Sadd clinched a stunning 2-1 win over the UAE’s Al Wasl in Dubai in the AFC Champions League last-32 group phase.
Bounedjah, who only got back to action last week after being sidelined for more than two months with a fracture, first put away a sublime Xavi pass in the 79th minute to help Al Sadd cancel out Fabio Lima’s 26th-minute goal for Al Wasl.
The Algerian then ensured three points for the 2011 champions with a 90th-minute goal following an Akram Afif pass which the Al Wasl defence failed to clear.
Earlier Iran’s Persepolis thrashed Uzbekistan’s Nasaf 3-0 with Ali Alipour scoring twice in the second half after Godwin Mensha had put them ahead in the 20th minute.
In a late match, the UAE's Al Ain and Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal featured in a goalless draw at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh.
In the East Zone, Tianjin Quanjian, making a first appearance in the tournament, defeated Kitchee of Hong Kong 3-0.
Former French U-21 international Anthony Modeste, signed for over $40 million last summer, opened the scoring in the first half as Tianjin, who finished third in the 2017 Chinese Super League, took control.
An own goal and a Sun Ke strike gave Tianjin the win despite the best efforts of Kitchee striker Diego Forlan, the 38-year-old who once starred for Manchester United and Inter Milan.
SIPG, semi-finalists in 2017 after spending more than $100 million on Brazilian stars Hulk and Oscar, won 1-0 at Kawasaki Frontale.
The team's less-heralded Brazilian import Elkeson grabbed the only goal of the game against the Japanese champions midway through the first half.
The 2016 winners Jeonbuk Motors returned to the competition in style, coming from 2-0 down in South Korea to defeat Japanese visitors Kashiwa Reysol 3-2 thanks to a second-half brace from 39-year-old Lee Dong-guk.
Jeonbuk, banned from defending its title in 2017 after a club scout was indicted for bribing referees in domestic competitions in 2013 and 2014, conceded two first-half goals before Lee, who appeared in the English Premier League for Middlesbrough in 2007, inspired a comeback.
