Algerian international Adel Boulbine delivered a stunning performance for Qatari side Al-Duhail, scoring a hat-trick in their crucial 4-2 victory against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad in the fifth round of the AFC Champions League Elite.
Boulbine’s goals, scored in the 5th, 33rd, and 53rd minutes, proved vital in securing the win and alleviating the pressure on Al-Duhail’s coach, fellow Algerian Djamel Belmadi, whose future had been under intense scrutiny.
Prior to the match, speculation had been rife regarding Belmadi’s position, with calls for his dismissal growing louder following a series of underwhelming performances and results this season. Despite the club’s management fulfilling his transfer requests and acquiring talented players during the summer, Al-Duhail had struggled to find consistency.
Boulbine’s heroics, however, have provided Belmadi with a temporary reprieve. Before facing Al-Ittihad, Belmadi had overseen 18 matches across all competitions, achieving only 6 wins, 7 losses, and 5 draws. Al-Duhail currently sits in eighth place in the Qatari League with 12 points from 10 games, following their recent defeat to Al-Ahli.
In the AFC Champions League, Al-Duhail had been languishing in the lower ranks. However, the victory against Al-Ittihad propelled them to sixth place with 7 points, giving Belmadi much-needed breathing room and distancing him from the immediate threat of being sacked. The hat-trick by Boulbine could prove to be a turning point for Al-Duhail’s season. The team hopes to build on this momentum.
