Al Sadd draw 1-1 with Sharjah in AFC Champions League Elite

Al Sadd were held to a 1-1 draw by UAE side Sharjah in their Group Stage clash of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025-26, played on Tuesday evening, September 30, 2025, at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

With this result, Al Sadd moved to two points. Akram Afif opened the scoring for the hosts in the 18th minute, while Caio Lucas equalised for Sharjah in the 73rd. Goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham kept Al Sadd in the game earlier when he saved a penalty in the 21st minute. ... 

Al Sadd coach Félix Sánchez underlined the importance of his side’s upcoming match against UAE’s Sharjah in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025-26, which will be played on Tuesday evening at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Sánchez said: “The AFC Champions League Elite is a very tough competition, and everyone knows that. This game is a big challenge for us. We need to take advantage of playing at home and in front of our fans. We are fully prepared for the match, and we know how important it is after drawing in the first round. Our aim is to put in a strong performance and achieve the result we want, one that will satisfy our supporters.” ... 

Al Sadd played out a 0-0 draw with Al Duhail in Week 6 of the Doha Bank Stars League, in the match held on Thursday at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.

With this result, Sadd moved to 8 points from two wins, two losses and two draws.

Al Sadd head coach Felix Sanchez described the 1-1 draw against Al Shorta of Iraq as a positive result in their opening match of the 2025-2026 AFC Champions League Elite.

Speaking after the game, Sanchez said: “The match was evenly balanced between both teams. The first 25 minutes were difficult for us because of Al Shorta’s pressure, but afterwards we played well by the end of the first half.” ... 

Al-Sadd’s first football team collected its first point in the 2025-2026 AFC Champions League Elite after a 1-1 draw with Al-Shorta of Iraq in the opening round of the tournament, held on Monday at Al-Zawraa Stadium in Baghdad.

Dominique Mendy scored the opening goal for Al-Shorta in the 25th minute, and the home side went into halftime with the lead. Al-Sadd emerged stronger after the break, and Hassan Al Haydos went on to level the score in the 62nd minute, slamming in from inside the box after a loose ball fell right in front of him. ... 

Al Sadd coach Felix Sanchez emphasized the importance of the upcoming match against Al Shorta of Iraq, which will kick off the group stage of the 2025-2026 AFC Champions League Elite.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Sanchez said: “I welcome everyone. I’m happy to be in Baghdad, and I hope the match is enjoyable for the fans.” ... 

Al Sadd will depart on Sunday morning, 14 September, for the Iraqi capital Baghdad in preparation for their opening Group Stage clash of the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Elite against Al Shorta. The match is scheduled for Monday evening at 9:15 PM Doha time.

The Al Sadd delegation includes the technical and administrative staff, along with 25 players: Saad Al Dossari, Meshaal Barsham, Yousef Al Balushi, Youcef Atal, Guilherme Torres, Ahmed Suhail, Abdullah Al Yazidi, Paulo Otávio, Tarek Salman, Pau Prim, Agustín Soria, Mohammed Waad, Yaman Jarrar, Mohammed Camara, Boualem Khoukhi, Rafa Mújica, Akram Afif, Hashim Ali, Giovani Henrique, Hassan Al Haydos, Pedro Miguel, Romain Saïss, Abdulrahman Bakri, Roberto Firmino, and Mustafa Tarek. ...