AFC Champions League 2: Camara and Ben Larbi lead Al Sharjah to dramatic comeback over Barrow and Al Taawoun
- Andrew Olsson
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Gambian superstar Musa Barrow and Saudi Pro League club Al Taawoun appeared set to reach the finals of the AFC Champions League 2 when stoppage time began in the second leg of their semifinal clash with United Arab Emirates' Al Sharjah. However, Guinean attacker Ousmane Camara and Tunisian playmaker Firas Ben Larbi had other ideas.
With the second leg at 0-0 and down 0-1 in the aggregate score, Sharjah rallied to a dramatic victory and it was Camara who scored the equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Camara was in the right place to finish from a rebound to level the aggregate score.
Sharjah were not done. With the tie set to go into extra time, former Tunisia national team player Ben Larbi ran onto a pass from Caio Lucas and fired in an excellent finish into the top corner to snatch victory for the Emirati club. The goal inspired dramatic scenes at Sharjah Stadium shortly before the full time whistle sounded shortly after.
With the 2-1 aggregate victory, Sharjah advance to the final where they will face Singaporean giants Lion City who confirmed their place on Wednesday with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Australia's Sydney FC. The final will take place on May 18.
Camara, who made his name with Tunisian club CS Sfaxien before moving to the UAE for the 2021-22 season, has 42 goals and over 16 assists in 132 appearances across all competitions during his time in Emirati football. The 24-year-old appears set to represent the UAE national team after recently being granted citizenship as part of a plan to naturalize foreign stars in the league after a few years of residency.
Ben Larbi, the 28-year-old former Etoile du Sahel star, has also built a strong reputation in the country. Ineligible to be naturalized for the UAE national team, Ben Larbi has over ten appearances for Tunisia. He represented the North African nation at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup as well as the early stages of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign where he scored against São Tomé and Príncipe.