ACL: Al Duhail beat Al Shorta in opener

Al Duhail made a successful start to their 2021 AFC Champions League (ACL) group stage campaign, easing to a 2-0 win over Al Shorta of Iraq at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah yesterday.

In control for much of the match, the Qatari club went ahead through a Hassam Kadhim own goal nine minutes before half-time before a picturesque Edmilson Junior volley made the points all but safe in the 53rd minute. The result installs Al Duhail as the early leader in Group C, with only the group winners and three best runners-up to advance to the knockout stage from the West Zone. Al Duhail began in the ascendancy, although it didn’t immediately translate into goalmouth action in a cagey opening period.