Close first leg! ｜ Al-Taawoun FC (KSA) - Sharjah FC (UAE) ｜ Highlights ｜ AFC Champions League Two

Saudi Arabia's Altawun welcome Sharjah from the UAE to the Wolves Park in Buraida for the first leg of the ACL2 semifinals. Altawun are unbeaten in their last four home matches in this year's competition, while Sharjah haven't lost in their last three on the road. Altawun heading to the first leg off the back of a 2-0 win against Al-Kholoud in the Saudi Pro League last week, and we'll be hoping goal scorers Sabiri and Martinez can fire them to victory again today. The visitors, on the other hand, will be looking to star man Cayo Lucas to lead by example on the wing. The 30-year-old has five goals and two assists in this ACL2 season. Into the action we go. Altawun, all in yellow, coming forward with their first attack here. Al-Khuwaikbi puts a ball into the middle, it lands at the feet on the edge of the box for Abdelhamid Sabiri, and what a start for the home side to send the crowd wild. It's a lovely strike, hits it down in off the ground, and it just works its way beautifully into the bottom left corner. 1-0 for Altawun. Three minutes gone, Altawun with another chance here to make it two. What a start from the home team. Al-Khuwaikbi trying his luck from long range, saw the keeper just slightly off his line. I'll tell you what, he wasn't far away. Finding the back of the net there. Sharjah coming forward here. The 19th minute, haven't seen too much on the UAE side so far. Guillermo Piro, just losing his footing there as the ball came his way. It's a lovely cutback to pick him out. And he stayed on his feet, might have been able to find the target there. Just over half an hour gone. Ben Arbi, decent ball into the middle. Glancing header from Luan Pereira. Just wouldn't drop. 36th minute, Altawun. Effort, and what an effort as well from Moussa Baro. That's five goals in this competition this season already. Nearly a sixth, and what a goal that would have been. It's a 1-0 at the break. Slim advantage of Paul Altawun. Into the second, 63rd minute of play. Ball given away cheaply. Here's Piro. Bounce back inside. Chumis to his left. Plenty of pace and power. As always, on the rise from Guillermo Piro. Two minutes later, Sharjah. Looking more dangerous in this second half. Here's Piro. Enters the ball nicely. Khaled Ibrahim. He's here with the outside of the right boot. It's a audacious attempt. Wasn't too far away from getting it right. Less than 20 to go. Time running out for Sharjah. There's a breakaway here for Altawun. Chance to wrap things up here for Adam. The substitute crashes off the post. And then eventually cleared by Sharjah. What a chance to seal the deal there. It may have just come off. Corner deep into stoppage time. Last chance Saloon for Sharjah here. He's going to interrupt with the header. But it sails over. And so Sabiri's first half goal gives Altawun a slender but important lead heading into the second leg in a week's time. But with chances at both ends throughout the first encounter, it's safe to say this semi-final is far from over. We'll be right back.