Saudi players celebrate finding the net during their AFC U-16 Championship Group C Clash with Turkmenistan.TASHKENT – Ahmed Aloufi scored twice as Saudi Arabia recorded a 4-0 win over Turkmenistan on Tuesday to set up a showdown with China for the final AFC U-16 Championship quarter-final berth from Group C.
Aloufi scored in either half, while Yasir Al Shanrani and Mohammed Al Asiri also netted to help Saudi Arabia recover from their defeat by Australia and take the edge into Thursday’s meeting with China, who earlier lost 2-1 to the Joeys.
With Australia already assured of a place in the last eight as group winners ahead of their meeting with eliminated Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia only need a draw against China to advance as they hold the advantage in terms of goal difference with the sides level on three points.
Following a slow start, a piece of individual brilliance from Aloufi brought the contest to life as the striker picked the ball up 30 yards from goal, beat three challenges before breaking into the area and firing low across Kurbanmurad Karayev in the Turkmenistan goal to open the scoring after 22 minutes.
Aloufi looked to double the lead three minutes later as he easily out-muscled his marker just outside the area and sent a dipping strike narrowly wide of the upright with Karayev scampering across the face of his goal.
Saudi Arabia did double their advantage 10 minutes later, however, when Karayev allowed Al Shanrani’s well-struck low shot from the edge of the area squirm under his body.
Abdullah Otayf fired wide and Nawaf Alghamdi shot straight at Karayev before the break as Saudi Arabia looked to add to their advantage before the Turkmenistan goalkeeper produced a point blank save from Yousef Al Khamis in first half stoppage time.
Saudi Arabia added a third just three minutes after the break as half-time substitute Al Asiri chased through a long ball forward, and after edging ahead of two Turkmenistan defenders, calmly lifted the ball over the advancing Karayev.
Aloufi was gifted a second seven minutes later as he ran onto Musab Alotaibi’s low cross at the far post before seeing his shot, which was straight at Karayev, bundled into the net by Turkmenistan custodian.
Turkmenistan captain Vahyt Orazsahedov had his side’s first real threat on goal after 66 minutes as he sent a 25-yard effort wide of the Saudi upright before firing over five minutes later following a solo run.
Source:The AFC.com
