Doha: Qatar’s Al Gharafa made an impressive comeback in the AFC Champions League (ACL) yesterday, defeating UAE powerhouse Al Ain 4-2 in a thrilling encounter at Al Bayt Stadium. Joselu led the charge with a brace, giving Al Gharafa a two-goal cushion, while Seydou Sano and Yacine Brahimi sealed the victory after Al Ain fought back with goals from Alejandro Romero (Kaku) and Soufiane Rahimi. This triumph marked a strong rebound for Pedro Martins' side, who had suffered a 3-0 defeat against Iran’s Esteghlal in their opening match of the tournament. In a tightly contested first half, Al Gharafa took the lead just before the break when Brahimi’s corner deflected off Sano and bounced off Joselu’s hip into the net. Three minutes into the second half, the Spanish striker doubled the lead, heading in Sano’s cross after a set-piece play. However, Al Ain rallied with two goals in a span of 10 minutes. Romero converted a penalty after a VAR review penalized Sano for a foul on Rahimi, and Rahimi himself leveled the score with a low shot from the center of the box following a Romero assist. Refusing to be denied, Al Gharafa regained control in the 72nd minute when Sano fired a low shot into the bottom right corner after a pinpoint cross from Florinel Coman. Four minutes later, Coman assisted Brahimi, who secured the victory with a composed right-footed finish. The win propelled Al Gharafa to sixth in the standings. They will face another UAE side, Al Wasl Club, on October 22 at the same venue.