QSL side El Jaish beat Naft Tehran 2-0 to claim a place in the group stage of the 2016 AFC Champions League.
 
Abderrazaq Hamdallah and Romarinho grabbed the goals for Sabri Lamouchi’s men on a famous night for the Soldiers. Victory for Jaish secured a spot in Champions League Group D, alongside Al Ain, from the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan’s Nasaf Qarshi and Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia.
 
It was revenge for Jaish, who lost in the qualifying round of last year’s competition to the same opposition. Hamdallah put them ahead just after the hour mark before Romarinho settled the Qatari side’s nerves with a killer goal in stoppage time.
 
Naft, who reached the quarter-finals of last year’s event, marginally had the better of the opening half as Hamid Bouhamdan went close, before Vahid Amiri and Iman Mobali had attempts saved by Jaish goalkeeper Khalifa Abo Baker.

Jaish, currently second in the QSL, rarely threatened in the first half, with Romarinho’s long-range attempt the only chance of note. However, Lamouchi’s team improved markedly after the break and went close to opening the scoring when Hamdallah smashed a header against the bar in the 57th minute.

Just six minutes later and Hamdallah put Jaish in front. Poor defending from Naft failed to clear Mohammad Mothnani’s ball into the penalty area and the Moroccan striker showed no mercy as he planted a right-foot shot into the corner of Alireza Beiranvand’s goal.

Naft pushed for an equaliser and went close through Amir Motahhari and Ali Ghorbani. But on the stroke of full-time, Romarinho put the result beyond doubt when he rolled the ball into the bottom corner following a swift counter attack.