Al Sadd bowed out of the 2024-2025 AFC Champions League Elite after an extra time 2-3 loss to Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in the quarter-final match at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.
Yasuto Wakizaka’s scored in the 98th minuate as the Japanese side secured their semi-final berth where they will next face Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr Club on Wednesday.
Frontale was off to a flying start, taking the lead within the first four minutes when Yuki Yamamoto dispossessed Mohamed Camara and set Akihiro Ienaga free on the right flank, whose cross was expertly finished by Erison.
However, their advantage was short-lived, as Al Sadd equalized just five minutes later when the influential Akram Afif assisted Paulo Otavio, with Frontale goalkeeper Louis Yamaguchi unable to prevent the Brazilian’s shot at his near post.
Both teams displayed a commitment to attacking football, and it was only a matter of time before another goal was scored. Frontale regained the lead in the 21st minute when Marcinho capitalized on Yamamoto’s well-placed pass, deftly lifting the ball over the advancing Al Sadd goalkeeper Meeshal Barsham.
The Japanese side aimed to build on their momentum, but attempts from Yasuto Wakizaka, Yuichi Maruyama, and Marcinho narrowly missed the target, leaving them with a slim lead at halftime. Following the break, Al Sadd increased their urgency, with Otavio emerging as their primary attacking threat, sending a curling shot over the bar before having his downward header saved by Yamaguchi.
In the 66th minute, the Qatari team squandered a golden opportunity when Guilherme Torres delivered a precise pass to Afif, but the two-time AFC Player of the Year was denied by a vigilant Yamaguchi.
Al Sadd’s persistent efforts bore fruit in the 71st minute when Giovani broke free from his defender on the right side, and his ensuing cross was intentionally bypassed by Hasan Al Haydos, granting Claudinho the opportunity to score and extend the match into extra time.
The decisive goal was scored in the 98th minute when Guilherme’s poorly executed pass was seized by Yusuke Segawa, who swiftly passed the ball to Shin Yamada, who then set up Wakizaka to shoot past Barsham, securing Frontale’s advancement.
