JEDDAH: Saudi sides Al-Ahli and Al-Nasr drew goalless against Al-Najma and Muharraq of Bahrain in the 24th Gulf Club Championship yesterday.
The draw kept the Jeddah-based team playing at home at King Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in the hunt on 4 points in two matches in Group B.
Nasr’s chances of qualifying from Group A suffered a blow last night in Doha with only one point in the tournament.
Najma was also awarded its first point in the tournament but with only slim hopes of qualifying from Group B leaving Bahraini fans to rely on Muharraq which received its fourth point in Group A. Ahli was in control for most of the first half pressuring Najma to its side of the pitch.
The players’ movement in the field was better than their guests but still failed to score.
In the 6th minute, the referee ended the home fans’ short-lived celebration after calling a goal offside by the Ahli forward who punched the ball into the net.
Brazilian midfielder Jefferson nearly scored the opening goal but Ahli goalkeeper Yasser Al-Musalem cleared the curling ball to safety.
Later in the half Ahli players called for a penalty kick when forward Hassan Al-Raheb was brought down in the box but their cries of foul play went unheeded.
The pace of the match picked up in the second half with the visitors searching for an early goal but their attempts were met head-on by Ahli defenders.
Ahli’s excellent chance came in the 52nd minute when a powerful right-footer a few feet off the box from Ahli’s new Portuguese signing hit the right corner post.
