Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd put in a vastly improved show in the second half but still had to be content with a 2-2 draw against Umm Salal in the Qatar Stars League on Saturday.
Umm Salal had taken a 2-0 lead in the first half after goals from Ayoub Azzi and Mahmoud Almawas, but Sadd came back through Marco Fabian and Nam Tae Hee to take a point.
The result meant Sadd stay third on 31 points while Umm Salal moved one place up to 11th with 10 points.
Leaders Duhail, on 33 points, take on Al Wakrah in the second match and can consolidate their position with a win.
After Akram Afif missed a big chance to put Sadd ahead, the Wolves found themselves a goal down in the 24th minute which also exposed their defensive frailties in the absence of Boualem Khoukhi.
Walid Meslob curled in his corner from the left and Ayoub Azzi, Umm Salal's new Algerian signing, soared above Sadd defence to meet it with a towering header, leaving Sadd goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb stranded.
Umm Salal doubled their lead in the 33rd minute after more questionable defending, leaving Xavi Hernandez on the touchline livid.
A throw-in from the left was flicked on into the box but Abdelkarim Hassan's headed clearance was weak and went straight to Ismail Ibrahim.
Al Sheeb could only parry the substitute defender's shot back into the danger area where Mahmoud Almawas was waiting and the Syrian striker made no mistake with his finish.
Sadd continued to be uninspiring n the first half, but their attitude and body language changed after the break.
And three minutes later they pulled a goal back.
Sadd's new Mexican signing Marco Fabian pulled the trigger out of the blue and his low shot was too hot to handle for Umm Salal's substitute goalkeeper Yazin Naim, who had to come in right at the end of the first half after Baba Malik suffered an injury.
Sadd were firing on all cylinders and a couple of minutes later Afif drew a save from Naim, who stopped the shot with his legs.
But in the 59th minute he could do nothing when Nam Tae Hee found space and time inside the box to take aim and shoot and his right-footer crashed in off the far upright.
Although Fahad Khalfan put the ball in Sadd net again in the 68th minute with a long-ranger, Raul Becerra was ruled offside in the build-up.
After losing their rhythm momentarily Sadd again came at Umm Salal with full force, but some desperate defending and ordinary finishing meant that they had to be content with just a point.
Pedro, who played the second half mostly inside Umm Salal area, could not keep his shot down while in 81st minute Abdelkarim Hassan failed to hit the target with the goal his mercy.
Baghdad Bounedjah then hit the bar with his header while Hassan yet again failed to guide Nam Tae Hee's corner goalward's.
Source: dohastadiumplusqatar.com