Gonçalves proves himself in the decisive momentsAl-Ahli of Saudi Arabia came from behind to beat Qatar’s Al-Gharafa 2-1 on Monday evening, overturning a second-half deficit in the third round of the AFC Champions League Elite league stage.The hosts came flying out of the blocks and struck in the fourth minute. Edward Sparentsyan slipped a through ball to England’s Ivan Toney, who rounded goalkeeper Ahmed Koni before lifting it over him with a clever touch and into the net.Al-Gharafa tried to hit back, Adam Ounas firing wide from a tight angle in the 17th minute. Two minutes later, referees halted play for an injury to Al-Ahli’s Mohammed Sulaiman, and the game resumed in the 20th minute.Hassan Alaa Eldine then let fly from more than 35 yards in the 25th minute, only to see it skim past the right-hand post.Next matchesALSSaudi Pro League31 Oct 202602:00AHLALGAFC Champions League Elite03 Nov 202602:15ALQRead also: Mourinho dismantles Barcelona’s trap: an alarm bell for Flick’s systemFour minutes later, Toney went into the book, and the 31st minute brought a water break.Back came Al-Gharafa in the 38th minute, when goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi dealt with a Florinel Coman effort from outside the box.Play stopped again for an injury to Hassan Alaa Eldine, who could not carry on, so Yacine Brahimi replaced him in the 43rd minute.Al-Ahli pressure, and Al-Gharafa respondDeep into first-half stoppage time, Al-Ahli came close to a second. Sparentsyan blazed over in the 45+2 minute, and Al-Gharafa’s defence then snuffed out a Toney effort in the 45+5 minute.In the same minute, Trincao took a pass from Toney and lashed it with his left foot from inside the box, but the ball cannoned off the right post.Ziyad Al-Johani dragged another effort wide in the 45+6 minute, and the first half closed with Al-Ahli a goal to the good. Al-Gharafa rang the changes at the break, sending on Ayoub Al-Awi for Rayan Ahmed Al-Ali.The Qatari side came out pressing. Florinel Coman had a shot dealt with by the Al-Ahli defence in the 47th minute, then Ferjani Sassi headed wide from a corner.Yacine Brahimi fired just wide of the post from outside the area in the 49th minute, before Adam Ounas squandered another opening in the 52nd, steering a Coman pass to the left of goal.The pressure paid off in the 53rd minute. Coman took a pass from Saifeldeen Fadlalla and slotted home the equaliser.Sending-off and knockout blow for Al-GharafaThen came the hammer blow. In the 77th minute Sano picked up a second yellow for a foul and was sent off, leaving his side down to ten men. The dismissal followed a stoppage for his own injury a minute earlier.Al-Gharafa made another switch in the 79th minute, Dami Traore on for Adam Ounas. Moments later, Firas Al-Buraikan headed to the right of goal from a Gonçalves cross following a set piece.A water break halted play once more in the 80th minute, with the game restarting a minute on.Al-Ahli piled on the pressure in the closing stages, and Matheus Gonçalves delivered the knockout blow. He unleashed a shot from outside the box that nestled into the net, restoring the lead and sealing a second successive win in the competition.The result took Al-Ahli to seven points and, for now, up to second. Al-Gharafa slumped to a third defeat and sit 18th, still without a point.Read also: Will Flick pay the price? The Clásico shock reopens the thorny file at Barcelona
