Al Sadd exited the King Salman Club Cup 2023 on Saturday, August 5, as they suffered a 2-4 defeat at the hands of Iraq’s Al Shorta in the quarterfinals at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Abha, Saudi Arabia.

Substitute Aso Rostam scored a brace (59th minute penalty and 79th), while Ameer Sabah (32nd) and Ahmed Farhan (71st) added the other goals for Al Shorta.

Both Al Sadd’s goals, on the other hand, came off the boots of Akram Afif, who found the net in the 24th minute (penalty) and 80th minute.

Al Sadd had qualified for the quarterfinals by topping Group B with seven points (two victories and one draw), while Al Shorta, on the other hand, made it to the last-eight as the second team in Group A with four points (one win, one draw and a loss).

Al Sadd were in the driver’s seat of the enthralling encounter right from the onset and coach Bruno Miguel’s side could have gone one up as early as the third minute had Gonzalo Plata’s header from the centre of the box off Pedro Miguel’s cross been a little bit lower.

Al Sadd’s high pressing attack finally yielded the desired result in the 20th minute, with Afif drawing a foul in the penalty area. After some delay due to injury, Afif stood up to coolly convert the spotkick to give The Wolves the lead with a right-footed shot to the centre of the goal in the 24th minute.

The goal seemed to jolt up Al Shorta from sleep as the Iraqi side went on the offensive with a much-improved play. Parity was subsequently restored in the 32nd minute, with Ameer Sabah’s well-taken right-footed shot from outside the box finding the top left corner following a set-piece situation.

Rostam replaced Mahmoud Al Mawas for Al Shorta at half-time and the second half proved to be a different ball game for the Iraqi side as they continued to push hard against their opponent, with Rostam proving particularly dangerous.

In the 53rd minute, Baghdad Bounedjah conceded a penalty after a foul on Rostam in the 18-yard box. After a VAR decision, the subsequent penalty was converted by Rostam in the 59th minute to give Al Shorta the lead.

The game was thereafter turned on its head, with Rostam becoming an assist provider in the 70th minute as his well-placed pass following a fast break located Ahmed Farhan, who wasted no time in finding the bottom right corner with a right-footed shot from outside the box.

Rostam made it four for his side with a left-footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner in the 78th minute, off an assist by Manaf Younnes.

Three minutes later, and with the dust of Al Shorta’s goal celebration barely settling, Afif hit his brace to reduce the deficit for Al Sadd with an assist from Bounedjah.

Much as Al Sadd tried to stage a comeback, their efforts in front of goal proved futile as Al Shorta ran away with the victory.