AFC Champions League Elite: Al Ain beats Tractor FC to maintain perfect start; Title holder Al Ahli edges past Al Gharafa

File photo: Al Ain Houssine Rahimi scored his fifth goal in three matches to guide his side to a win against Tractor FC. | Photo Credit: AFP

Al Ain continued its perfect start to the western league phase of the Asian Champions League Elite ​on Monday with a 2-1 win over Tractor FC from Iran as ‌title holder Al Ahli secured a late 2-1 victory over ​10-man Al Gharafa.

Al Ain, winner of the trophy in 2024, ⁠picked up its third win in a row as Houssine Rahimi scored his fifth goal in three matches with 20 minutes remaining at the Hazza ‌bin Zayed Stadium.

Ramy Rabia’s strike from distance in the 21st minute had put Al Ain in front, but Tibor Halilovic curled home Tractor’s equaliser 10 minutes into ​the second half before Rahimi ‌hit the winner.

Al Ahli made a positive start in Jeddah against its Qatari visitor when Ivan Toney gave the defending champion a fourth-minute lead, only to see Florinel Coman level eight ‌minutes into the second half.

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Seydou Sano’s sending-off for a second ​bookable offence with 13 minutes remaining left Al Gharafa short-handed, and Al Ahli took advantage with Matheus Goncalves hitting ⁠the winner four minutes from time.

Julian Quinones scored in the 84th minute with a heavily deflected effort to earn Al Qadsiah a 1-1 draw with Qatar’s Al Sadd, who took the lead through Akram Afif’s stunning strike ‌from distance 10 minutes earlier.

Iraq’s Air Force Club picked up its first ​win of the campaign when Saad Abdul Ameer pounced in the 70th minute to seal a 1-0 victory ⁠in Basra over Pakhtakor from Uzbekistan.

The match involving Saudi Pro League champion Al Nassr and Al Wasl from the United Arab Emirates was postponed.

The first eight finishers in the league phase in ‌West and East Asia will advance to the knockout rounds, with the quarterfinals, semifinals and final to be played on ​a centralised basis in Saudi Arabia in April and May.