Al Sadd came up with a top display as they outclassed Sharjah FC 2-0 in away game in the fifth round (Group B) of 2023-2024 AFC Champions League at the Sharjah Stadium on Monday.

The dominant win saw Al Sadd pull themselves back into contention for a place in the knockout rounds.

A goal in each half from Gonzalo Plato (ninth minute) and Baghdad Bounedjah (60th minute) earned Al Sadd all three points in the group clash to move the 2011 champions onto seven points from five games with only their meeting with Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf on Matchday Six left.

FC Nasaf of Uzbekistan currently top the group with 10 points, while Sharjah FC have eight points. Al Faisaly of Jordan are on three points.

In the other match of the group, FC Nasaf beat Al Faisaly 3-1.

Al Sadd and Sharjah FC had played out a goalless draw in the first leg (Round 1) at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium of Al Sadd club.

But on Monday evening, Al Sadd made a whirlwind start, with their star Akram Afif producing a powerful strike from outside the box which was blocked by Sharjah goalkeeper Mohamed bin Habib, but the ball flew to the left and Plata sent in a racing left-foot kick to register his team’s opening goal.

Sharjah FC tried hard to retaliate, but found it tough to make the breakthrough.

In the 26th minute, Al Sadd goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham showed his prowess making a fine flying save after a Pedro clearance attempt, following a Sharjah free-kick, headed towards Al Sadd’s own goal.

Al Sadd doubled their lead in a more emphatic way, with Pedro Miguel sending in a superb cross, from the right near the flag, and the tall Bounedjah headed in firmly for the ball to first hit the inside of the top bar before racing down into the goal.

Sharjah’s few incisive attempts at the goal either went far and wide or were scuttled by agile goalkeeper Barsham, whose second major foiling act was in the second session (80th minute) when he cut off a threatening kick using his legs.