From the Al-Ittihad gateway: Bounedjah writes new history in the AFC Champions League

The Algerian striker shone against the "Tigers"

Algeria's Baghdad Bounedjah, the Al-Shamal striker, wrote a new chapter of history in the AFC Champions League Elite, at the expense of Saudi side Al-Ittihad.

Al-Ittihad travelled to Al-Shamal on Monday, meeting them at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor in the first round of the league stage of the Asian competition.

Bounedjah broke the deadlock for Al-Shamal in the 63rd minute. He collected a low pass inside Al-Ittihad's box and struck it with his left foot, the ball deflecting off the defence and nestling in the net of Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic.

The strike made history for the Algerian and for Al-Shamal alike. It was the Qatari club's first ever goal in the AFC Champions League Elite, and it came in their very first match in the competition.

For Bounedjah, it also ended a scoring drought stretching back nearly three years in the Asian competition. His last goal in the tournament came on 4 December 2023, when his former club Al-Sadd drew 2-2 with Uzbekistan's Nasaf Qarshi in the eighth round of the league stage.

It was the 30th goal Baghdad Bounedjah has scored in the AFC Champions League. He netted the previous 29 with Al-Sadd from the 2018 edition onwards.