RIYADH: Saudi Pr
o League Champions Al-Ittihad will take on Al-Hilal in the quarter-finals of the Arab Football Clubs Championship. Al-Ittihad emerged topper in the Group 1 after its 2-1 victory over the Iraqi police Al-Shorta, who also qualified to quarterfinals despite its defeat on Wednesday.
French superstar Karim Benzema continued his superb performance for Al-Ittihad and scored the winning goal from a penalty kick at the end of the game in the last round of the group matches. Benzema scored the goal for the third match in a row.
Al-Ittihad, who topped the first group with nine points, will face its local rival Al-Hilal, who finished second in the second group, in the quarterfinals.
Although Al-Shorta were able to score only four points, it qualified to the quarterfinals, benefiting from a goalless draw between Esperance de Tunis and its local rival, Sfaxien, in the group’s other match.
Ahmed Bamasoud gave Al-Ittihad the lead with a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area in the 36th minute of the match.
Abdel Majeed Boubaker equalized for Al-Shorta ten minutes before the end, taking advantage of goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe’s mistake in deflecting a long throw-in.
Substitute Coronado got a penalty kick in the 83rd minute, which Benzema successfully executed to the left of Ahmed Basil, the police goalkeeper, who headed to the other corner of the net.
