Al Sadd failed to advance to the group stage of the 2016 AFC Champions League after losing on penalties to Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates.
 
Hamza Senhadji scored twice for Sadd but missed the decisive penalty in the shoot-out after the teams were deadlocked at 2-2 after 120 minutes. Jazira claimed a 5-4 win on penalties.
 
Sadd, the 2011 Champions League winners, took the lead after 23 minutes but were pegged back by Jazira, who equalised through Kenwyne Jones on the stroke of half-time. Ali Mabkhout’s free-kick put the Emirates side ahead midway through the second half, but they were denied the win in normal time as Senhadji made it 2-2 in the 88th minute.
 
The Wolves, currently fourth in the QSL, then had a golden opportunity to win the game in added time, but Khalfan Ibrahim missed a penalty for Jesualdo Ferreira’s men.
 
Extra-time featured few chances and the match would be decided on spot kicks. Spanish midfielder Xavi Hernandez and Iranian defender Morteza Pouraliganji missed for Sadd to allow Jazira to take their place in Group C alongside Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor, Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal and Iranian side Tractorsazi Tabriz.
 
Sadd enjoyed a strong start to the contest and took the lead when Senhadji latched on to a loose back-pass from Khalid Sebil before slotting the ball past Ali Khaseif.

Senhadji almost doubled Sadd’s lead five minutes later but his 28th minute header from Nadir Belhadj’s cross came back off the post.

Jazira got on level terms in the 45th minute when Jones directed a towering header past Saad Al Sheeb. And, just six minutes after the hour mark, Mabkhout completed the turnaround with a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Sadd continued to battle though and got their reward late on when Senhadji fired past Khaseif after taking a long pass from the back and surging into the penalty area.

A dramatic late comeback was almost completed by the Qatari side when Ibrahim won a penalty. Unfortunately for Sadd, he was unable to beat Khaseif and the match went into extra-time.

The extra 30 minutes failed to separate the sides and Jazira held their nerve in the shoot-out, despite misses from Salim Rashed and Thiago Neves.