Al-Sadd’s first football team settled for a goalless draw against Wydad of Morocco in the opening match of Group B in the King Salman Arab Club Champions Cup, which is taking place in Saudi Arabia from July 27th to August 12th.
With this draw, Al-Sadd earned their first point in Group B, which also includes Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal and Libya’s Ahli Tripoli.
The match started with vigor and enthusiasm, and in the 6th minute, Akram Afif came close to putting Al-Sadd ahead with a header from Hassan Al-Haydos’ cross on the right, narrowly missing the target as the ball went wide of Wydad’s right post.
The game continued with a balanced and spirited performance from both teams. Al-Sadd asserted their control over the midfield, while Wydad’s players attempted to break through the defense, only to be met by the resolute Al-Sadd defenders. In the 32nd minute, Baghdad Bounedjah’s powerful shot from outside the penalty area flew above Wydad’s crossbar.
In the 38th minute, Wydad’s Yahya Jabrane was shown a red card for a reckless tackle on Al-Sadd’s defender Pedro Miguel. Despite Al-Sadd’s efforts in the closing minutes of the first half, the score remained goalless.
In the second half, Al-Sadd’s players showed determination, and in the 56th minute, Colombian Matheus Uribe came close to giving Al-Sadd the lead. His shot from Hassan Al-Haydos’ cross on the right beat Wydad’s goalkeeper but hit the post and was eventually cleared by the defense.
To bolster their attacking prowess, Al-Sadd made two substitutions. Yusuf Abdurisag replaced defender Musab Khidir while Mohammed Waad entered the game in place of Ahmed Badr Sayyar. Al-Sadd pressed hard for the winning goal, but Wydad’s defense remained resilient, resulting in a goalless draw at the end of the second half and the match.
