Wehdah and Al-Ahli shared four goals in their King's Cup for Champions first-leg semifinal match at the King Abdul Aziz Sports City Stadium in Makkah Thursday. Striker Mukhtar Fallata scored two goals either side of the break to put the reds up 2-0. However, Ahli substitute Omani Emad Al-Hosani also scored a late brace to level the score. The exciting match was attended by 7,398 soccer fans. Fallata scored the first goal in the 8th minute when he headed a long high cross in the box over the advancing Ahli goalkeeper Yasser Al-Mosayleem. Ahli's Brazilian midfielder Marcinho Da Silva made a good attempt to level the score three minutes later but his foul kick from outside the area was skillfully saved by Wehdah keeper Ahmed Fahmi. The visitors kept attacking to level the score and in their bid left holes in the defense which Fallata tried to make use of but was denied when his shot flew over the bar. Even the counter-attack did not stop Ahli from attacking the rival goal and the team dominated the remaining part of the first half. After the break, Ahli coach, Alexander Alice brought Al-Hosani in place of midfielder Sahib Al-Abdullah. The green pressure continued on the host team, whose defenders and keepers stood firm. In the 56th minute, Fahmi excelled once again when he foiled a close-range attempt by Ahli skipper Mohammed Musa'ad. Brazilian Victor Simoes of Ahli hit a strong kick a couple of minutes later from outside the red zone only to see the ball swirl past the left post of Fahmi. Fallata managed to make it 2-0 for Wehdah in the 81st minute when, surrounded by three Ahli defenders, he dribbled his way into the area before kicking the ball into the far right corner of the Ahli goal. Alex brought in Musa'ad with striker Hussein Al-Rahib to add pressure on Wehdah. The plan worked as Marcinho kicked from outside Wehdah area and the unmarked Al-Hosani managed to redirect the ball into the red goal a minute before time. Al-Hosani succeeded in scoring again two minutes later when he managed to control a cross ball in the area before kicking dumping the ball into the far right corner of Fahmi. The two teams will meet again Monday in Jeddah where a goalless game or a 1-1 draw can send Ahli to the final. Wehdah, on the other hand, would need to either win or draw with more than two goals.
