Al-Sadd Advances Despite Heavy Defeat in Doha

Roberto Mancini's Al-Sadd lost 4-1 to Al-Ittihad in the Asian Champions League but still moved to the knockout rounds after Al-Gharafa lost to Tractor FC. Al-Sadd secured eighth place, and will next face Al-Hilal. Key players included Rafa Mujica for Al-Sadd and Houssem Aouar for Al-Ittihad.

In a surprising turn of events at the Asian Champions League in Doha, Roberto Mancini's Al-Sadd endured a 4-1 defeat against Al-Ittihad but still managed to progress to the tournament's last 16.

Despite scoring only a single goal through Rafa Mujica, Al-Sadd benefited from Al-Gharafa's 2-0 loss to Tractor FC, securing eighth place in the western league standings and a spot in the knockout phase.

Looking ahead, Al-Sadd is set to clash with table toppers Al-Hilal, while Al-Ittihad will face off against Al-Wahda in the next round of matches.