Al Sadd lost 0-2 to Al Faisaly of Jordan in the fourth-round Group B match of the 2023-2024 AFC Champions League at the Amman International Stadium on Monday.

Hatem Sultan (56th minute) and substitute Aref Haitham (85th minute) were on target for the hosts.

The win saw debutants Al Faisaly log their first three points in the continental championship sending the home fans into a frenzy at the stadium.

FC Nasaf of Uzbekistan and Sharjah FC of the UAE played out a 1-1 draw in the other match in the group.

Al Sadd are third in the group with four points.

Sharjah are leading Group B with eight points, followed by Nasaf on seven points.

While Al Sadd began on a strong note with a Boualem Khoukhi header, off an Akram Afif pass, being saved in the centre of the goal in the opening minute of the match, Al Faisaly slowly and surely gained momentum in the game and eventually succeeded in breaching the rival defence.

In the 14th minute, Al Sadd’s Gonzalo Plata provided Baghdad Bounedjah with a fine ball, but the latter’s shot from outside the box went close, missing to the left.

Minutes later, skipper Hassan Al Haydous set up Khoukhi with a pass, but Khoukhi’s shot from more than 35 yards was well blocked by the goalkeeper.

Towards the end of first half, there were attacks and counterattacks from both sides, but they could not find a finish.

On resumption, Al Faisaly made some good moved and concerted efforts and were finally rewarded as Ehsan Haddad made a smart pass, when surrounded by three Al Sadd defenders inside the box, to Reziq Bani Hani on the right who sent a cross to an unmarked Hatem Sultan to score and break the deadlock.

Al Sadd tried to hit back and in the 66th minute Khoukhi’s header hit the crossbar.

Soon, Mateus Uribe tried a through ball, but Bounedjah was caught offside.

There was however no such issue for Al Faisaly’s Hatem, who broke through to pick on an Al Shanaineh through ball down the left, to run down and beat Al Sadd goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham for the hosts’ second goal which thrilled the player and the home fans alike.