JEDDAH, 20 March 2008 — Al-Ahli failed to deliver a victory they badly needed following a 1-1 draw against Al-Karamah of Syria in front of their disappointed fans last night at the Prince Abdulah Al-Faisal Stadium here.

In all probability the draw booted Ahli out of contention in the AFC Champions League football tournament.

Also, coach Nebusha is on the way out after failing to at least delay the inevitable.

Ahli have only 1 point to show while dropping 5 points from two matches in Group C where Karamah and Al-Sadd of Qatar are equal on 4 points although Karamah are in first place on goal difference.

In contrast, the other Saudi team Al-Ittihad are well on course to advance from Group A after a 1-0 victory in the away match against Syria’s Al-Ittihad at Aleppo International Stadium in Aleppo, Syria.

Alves scored the winning goal in the 78th minute of the game where both teams mounted a skillful display to the delight of a record crowd of 70,000 spectators.

Syrians were dominating the match with the support of a huge home crowd but they missed several potential chances.

The Saudis cashed in on the chance when the Syrian defender lost control of the ball when his leg slipped while passing the ball. Two Saudi strikers who were close to the Syrian defender immediately exploited the opportunity and Alves converted it into a beautiful goal to the shock of Syrian soccer fans who thronged the stadium.

The win gave Jeddah-based Ittihad 6 points from two matches to lead Group A.

In Dubai, Iraq’s Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya fought Al-Kuwait to a scoreless draw at Kuwait Stadium in Group B.

The Iraqi team, the ‘home side’ for the match, made three quick substitutions in the second half in search of the elusive goal, but it was to no avail. Al-Kuwait was content to defend, as their forwards really never got going.

In another match, Kuwait’s Al-Qadisiya salvaged a 1-1 draw against Iraq’s Arbil at Mohammed Al Hamed Stadium in Kuwait City. The Iraqi champion went ahead in the 28th minute with a penalty from forward Ahmad Salah after Mohammed Sanad brought down Haider Qahrman.

The Kuwaiti side through Khalaf Almutairi in the 81st. The draw kept Al-Qadisiya on top of Group D with four points. Abril, after its second successive draw, was tied for second place with Qatar’s Al-Gharafa at two points.

Adelaide United Stay Top of

Asian Champions League Group

In Adelaide, Australia’s Adelaide United maintained a narrow lead in its group following a 0-0 draw against China’s Changchun Yatai.

Among the other results on matchday two, Japan’s Kashima Antlers took its goals-for tally to 15 with a 6-0 win over Vietnam’s Nam Dinh, Beijing Guoan recorded successive wins, and 2007 finalist Sepahan of Iran suffered consecutive losses. Adelaide United came closest to scoring when Diego hit the crossbar with a 66th-minute effort from well outside the box.

At the end of mediocre game, Adelaide and Changchun remained tied for the Group E lead on four points, one ahead of South Korea’s Pohang Steelers while Vietnam’s Binh Duong was yet to earn a point. Only the group winners progress to the quarterfinals.

Pohang beat Binh Duong 4-1 in a match of three penalties. The Vietnamese side took an early lead at home when Brazilian Lima converted a penalty, but Pohang soon responded with a spot kick of its own, with Denilson stroking home. Kim Jae-sung, Denilson’s second penalty and Choi Hyo-jin completed a comfortable second half for the Steelers.

In Group G, two late goals by Cameroonian substitute Stephane Baga saw Thailand’s Chonburi stun Australia’s Melbourne Victory 3-1. The result saw Chonburi, which had a creditable away draw at Gamba Osaka in its first match, moved to the top of the group on goal difference from the Japanese side. Both are on four points, a point ahead of Melbourne, with South Korea’s Chunnam Dragons pointless in what is shaping as a very competitive group.

Chonburi went ahead just on half time through Brazilian striker Fabiano, before the Australians drew level ten minutes into the second half via Danny Allsopp.

The introduction of Baga turned the match, as he shot home from 30 meters in the 79th minute. Chonburi had Arthit Suntornphit sent off with five minutes to go, but Baga sealed the result in added time.

In South Korea, Gamba Osaka come from 2-0 down to win 4-3 at Chunnam.

Chunnam were ahead after five minutes when Brazilian striker Simone lashed home, and Kim Tae-su doubled the hosts’ lead after 28 minutes. Gamba was back in the game just two minutes later thanks to a bullet shot from striker Takahiro Futagawa.

In Group F, Kashima Antlers made it 15 goals in two games by smashing Nam Dinh 6-0. Masashi Motoyama and Brazilian striker Marquinhos scored two goals each, with Yuzo Tashiro and Danilo getting the others.

Kashima defeated Thailand’s Krung Thai Bank 9-1 in the opening match and sit atop the group standings with six points from two games. Beijing Guoan are also on six points after a 4-2 win over the Thais yesterday. Nam Dinh and Krung Thai Bank are yet to score a point.

In Group B, Iran’s Saipa moved to provisional top of the group with a 2-0 win over Al Wasl of the United Arab Emirates. Saipa took the lead just before half time through Malian midfielder Issa Traore, and had a two-goal buffer after 57 minutes when Karim Ansarifar fired home. Saipa moved to four points from two games, a point ahead of Iraq’s Al Quwa, who were to meet Al Kuwait later Wednesday.

In Group A, Sepahan fell to its second straight defeat, losing 2-0 to Uzbekistan’s Kuruvchi yesterday.

Second-half goals by Ulugbek Bakaev and Timur Kapadze left the 2007 finalists pointless and bottom of the group.