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El Jaish condemn Al Jazira to 3-1 defeat in Qatar

Qatar's Al Jaish put three past Al Jazira to leave the UAE side with a solitary point in their AFC Champions League Group A. The defeat at Al Rayyan’s stadium in Doha gives Al Jazira a tough task to qualify from the group stages after failing to take anything from what was billed beforehand as a ‘must-win’ game.

The hosts got off the mark quickly, taking the lead in the 6th minute through Wagner Ribeiro, who managed to slot home. In the 17th minute Al Jazira were given another mountain to climb as El Jaish went 2-0 ahead, this time through Maher Yousuf, whose shot from the left nestled into the right-hand side of the goal. Al Jazira offered very little in attack, even after going two behind, and their only opportunity of note came on the stroke of half time, when Subait Khater managed to pull one back for the visitors as his free kick evaded everyone and flew directly into the net just before the teams retreated to the dressing rooms.

With Al Jazira handing themselves a lifeline just before half time, it remained to see whether they would be able to turn it around in the second period of play, with Luis Milla bringing on Sultan Barghash in a half-time change in place of Ibrahim Diaky. But hopes of a comeback were soon put to bed when El Jaish scored a third goal in the 58th minute, with Ribeiro bagging his brace following a fast attack and cross. Al Jazira introduced Abdulla Qassem and Ahmed Juma in place of Subait Khater and Ricardo Oliveira in hope of getting back into the game, but the visitors only managed to create two real opportunities for the remainder of the game, with Ali Al Ameri shooting straight at the goalkeeper in the 75th minute and Ahmed Juma forcing a save ten minutes later, but the game finished 3-1 and leaves Al Jazira with a struggle on their hands to make it through to the final 16.