Al Wakrah faced a tough defeat against Tractor SC in their AFC Champions League match at Al Janoub Stadium, with the Iranian side scoring three goals in the first half. Croatian striker Tomislav Strkalj and Iranian midfielder Mehdi Torabi netted goals in the 13th and 16th minutes, followed by another goal from Iran international Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh just before halftime. This victory put Tractor SC at the top of Group A, while Al Wakrah slipped to fourth place.
Despite a few early opportunities, Al Wakrah failed to convert their chances with Egyptian winger Hamdi Fathy and Omar Al Osad missing the mark. Tractor SC took advantage of Al Wakrah’s missed opportunities and scored two quick goals to take a commanding lead. The Al Wakrah defense struggled to contain the Iranian side, with Torabi’s powerful shot leaving goalkeeper Mohammed Al Bakri helpless.
In the second half, Al Wakrah improved their defense but still couldn’t find a way past Tractor SC’s solid backline. Goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand made crucial saves to keep Al Wakrah at bay. Tractor SC continued to dominate the game, with Hosseinzadeh adding a third goal to secure the win for the Iranian side. Despite a late save from Al Bakri to deny Strkalj a second goal, Tractor SC walked away with a convincing 3-0 victory.
Al Wakrah coach Miguel Angel acknowledged the difficulty of the match and highlighted the team’s need to improve. He emphasized the importance of analyzing mistakes to avoid repeating them in future games. The defeat serves as a learning opportunity for Al Wakrah as they aim to bounce back in the rest of the tournament.
Overall, Tractor SC’s clinical finishing and solid defense proved to be the difference in the match against Al Wakrah. The Iranian side capitalized on their chances in the first half, while Al Wakrah struggled to break through their opponent’s defense. Moving forward, Al Wakrah will need to work on their attacking efficiency and defensive organization to have a better chance of success in the AFC Champions League.
