Mahrez almost capitalised on an errant clearance by Zakaria in the 11th minute, the winger’s header finding the hands of the very relieved goalkeeper as Al Ahli made an energetic start. That was to prove a rare error from the Al Duhail man.

 

Toney then forced Zakaria into action when the Englishman sought to place his free-kick from 20 yards out to the goalkeeper’s right, the Qatari custodian sharp enough to move across his line to push clear for a corner.

It was against the run of play that Al Duhail went close to scoring in the 24th minute.

 

Boubakary Soumare was hauled down close to the left corner of the Al Ahli penalty area by Mohammed Abdulrahman to set up Benjamin Bourigeaud to bend his free-kick around the wall, crashing his shot against Edouard Mendy’s left post beyond the goalkeeper’s dive.

Mendy was called upon to block Edmilson Junior’s first time shot eight minutes from the interval when the winger burst into the box to collect a return pass from Soumare’s as Al Duhail’s threat grew.

 

But as the end of the half drew near, Al Ahli went on the offensive. Mahrez’s inviting cross was directed over his own bar by Edmilson Junior and from the resulting corner Toney’s downward header was gathered by Zakaria.

Al Ahli defender Roger Ibanez stepped forward to lash his long-distance effort marginally high and wide on the hour mark and Zakaria was on hand to deny Mahrez moments later when he threw himself to his right to keep out the Algeria international’s curling effort.

 

Mendy pushed Bourigeaud’s powerful strike to safety in the 64th minute and Galeno was denied by Zakaria at the other end as the second half sparked into life after a slow resumption of play.

Al Duhail’s Adil Boulbina shot over the bar with an effort on the run as time ticked down while Enzo Millot’s deflected effort from outside the visitors’ penalty area hit the crossbar before being cleared. Boulbina then smashed his unstoppable strike against the woodwork.

That miss was the last action of note in an eventful regulation period and two minutes into extra-time Galeno twice had opportunities to put the champions ahead, firing frustratingly across the face of goal before sending a long-range shot high and wide of Zakaria’s goal.

Ibanez saw his shot cleared off the line by Jean-Charles Castelletto at a chaotic corner at the end of the first period of extra time but a foul in the lead-up by Zakaria on Ziyad Al Johani saw referee Ma Ning award a penalty following a VAR review.

Zakaria redeemed himself by saving Toney’s penalty with a dive to his right but there was nothing he could do to keep out Mahrez’s winner, which the 35-year-old bent in from 25 yards to take his team through.