This marks the first time in the club’s history that Sharjah has won a continental title. It is also the inaugural edition of the newly formatted AFC Champions League 2 tournament
By AFP
Sharjah Football Club clinched the AFC Champions League 2 title on Sunday after defeating Singapore’s Lion City Sailors 2–1 in a thrilling match held at Bishan Stadium in Singapore.
Sharjah’s Firas Belarbi opened the scoring in the 74th minute. Lion City equalised in the 91st minute through Maxime, before Marcus Meloni sealed the win for Sharjah with a decisive goal in the 97th minute.
This marks the first time in the club’s history that Sharjah has won a continental title. It is also the inaugural edition of the newly formatted AFC Champions League 2 tournament.
Sharjah’s Meloni had an early sight of goal but his free-kick from distance was comfortably dealt with by Lion City goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud as both teams took time to impose themselves on the game.
The home side shaded proceedings, with Bart Ramselaar denied the opener when his driven strike from the edge of the area was blocked by central defender Shaheen Abdalla and goalkeeper Adel Al Hosani’s batted the ball to safety after it looped towards goal.
Caio Lucas almost unlocked the Lion City defence with 11 minutes left in the half, the Brazil-born winger swinging a right-foot cross in from close to the left touchline that an on-rushing Ben Arbi only narrowly missed reaching to beat Izwan.
The game was starting to open up and Diogo Costa almost put the Sailors in front moments later, the Portuguese winger hitting the base of Al Hosani’s right post with a powerful left-foot strike from the edge of the area.
Lion City midfielder Song Ui-young skied his first-time effort well off target inside the opening five minutes of the second half while Ramselaar started and almost finished a flowing move through the centre that ended with the ball flying over the bar.
Ousmane Camara squandered a gilt-edged opportunity with 21 minutes remaining, rising highest to meet Meloni’s corner from the right only to steer his header marginally wide of Izwan’s left post.
With 16 minutes remaining, however, Sharjah found their way through.
Caio Lucas swung the ball over from the left corner of the area towards Khaleed Ebraheim as the full-back galloped into space behind the Lion City defence and his first-time centre as he slid along the turf found Ben Arbi at the far post and he finished with aplomb.
The clock had barely ticked over into added time when Lestienne levelled, the prolific Belgian lashing a low left-foot shot through a defender’s leg and past Al Hosni to raise the possibility of extra-time.
But Meloni won the title for Sharjah six minutes later when he moved the ball onto his right foot on the left side of the Lion City penalty area and bent an unstoppable low shot beyond Izwan to seal a remarkable win. (With inputs from AFC)
