BANIYAS 0 AL QADSIA 4
Al Qadsia - Al Enazi 10', Al Suma 35', Al Sheikh 73', Al Ansari 83'
Man of the match - Omar Al Suma (Al Qadsia)
ABU DHABI // Adnan Hamad's first game in charge of Baniyas ended in a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Al Qadsia of Kuwait as his new side crashed out of the Asian Champion League (ACL) on Saturday night.
The visitors scored twice either side of half time in the ACL play-off at Baniyas Stadium to set up a final qualifier next week away at Qatari side Al Jaish. The winner of that match will advance to the ACL group stage.
Hamad was naturally disappointed but conceded the better team won on the night.
“They were better prepared and had a very good fitness,” the Iraqi said.
“I advised the team that they [Qadsia] were good on the free kicks and they used two set pieces to score in the first half.”
Mohammed Ibrahim, the Qadsia coach, praised his team – who are made up entirely of amateurs – for their performance.
“The team is exhausted because we play in many competitions, the local league and in Asia as well as winning the [domestic] Crown Prince Cup last month,” the Kuwaiti said.
“I would like to praise the effort of my players because they are amateurs, not professionals.”
Ibrahim had travelled to watch Baniyas play Al Nasr in the Arabian Gulf League last week, when they lost 2-0 in Jorge da Silva’s final match in charge.
“Our reading of Baniyas was very good,” he said. “We won, but I don’t want to consider this result as a failure for Adnan Hamad because he is a big name in the Arab world and he has just started with the team. Two days is not enough time to learn the abilities of the players.”
Qadsia opened the scoring from a Mesad Nada free kick fired in from 30 yards to give the visitors a perfect start. Omar Al Suma doubled the lead when he dispatched a corner from Saif Al Hashem that left the Baniyas goalkeeper Mohsin Al Hashmi grasping at thin air. It could have been more had Al Suma’s rocket not bounced off the crossbar.
Baniyas had their chances to pull level in the first half, before the game ran away from them.
The Qadsia goalkeeper Nawaf Al Khaldi did well to push the ball over the bar from a powerful shot off Carlos Munoz. The Chile forward’s lunging attempt to connect with a cross from Mohammed Fawzi moments later flew just wide.
It stayed at 2-0 until the 72nd minute, when Saleh Al Sheikh, a second-half substitute, exchanged passes with Saif Al Hashem before finishing the move off with a low shot. Fahed Al Ibrahim wrapped up the scoring with seven minutes left, converting from close range.
Qadsia now meet Jaish, who were 5-1 winners over Nasaf Qarshi of Uzbekistan.
The winner of that play-off will progress to Group B in the ACL that includes Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan, Foolad Khouzestan of Iran and Al Fateh of Saudi Arabia.
apassela@thenational.ae
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