Abu Dhabi: Al Ain twice rallied from a goal down to hold Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli to a 2-2 draw in AFC Champions League Group C fixture at the latter’s own backyards at the King Abdullah Sports City on Monday.
With this draw, Al Ain have five points from three outings and remain on second spot while Al Ahli remain at the top of the group with seven points.
Al Ain started the match with a lot of intent. Skipper Omar Abdul Rahman, Ismail Ahmed and their Brazilian winger Caio made some early test fires at the opposition goal but failed to get the breakthrough.
Al Ain custodian Khalid Essa, who was simply exceptional under the bar all through the match, came up with some fine saves once the hosts started to gain in confidence after the first quarter.
Al Ahli’s Omar Al Soma and Aqeel Al Sahbi tested the Al Ain defense with a series of raids and goal scoring looked inevitable.
The floodgates were finally opened in the 26th minute. Al Sahbi came up with a right-footed flick, following a cross from Abdulafttah Asiri, and the ball lobbed over Essa into the goal.
The lead, however, didn’t last long and minutes later, Abdul Rahman showed his class. He sent in a defense splitting through and Nassir Al Shamrani timed his run to perfection before slotting home past an onrushing Al Ahli custodian Yasser Al Mosailem from a tight angle to make it 1-1.
Had it not been for a brilliant reflex save from Al Mosailem, Al Ahli would have trailed by a goal in the 31st minute. Al Ain’s Colombian winger Danilo Asprilla triggered a right footed shot from the centre of the box, off a cross from Mohammed Abdul Rahman, but Al Mosailem was equally up for that challenge. Then, in the 42nd minute, another header from Asprilla was blocked on the goal-line by an alert Al Mosailem.
The second session was as absorbing as the first. The hosts went ahead after Greek winger Giannis Fetfatzidis showed tremendous dribbling skills to tear the Al Ain defense apart before slotting home with a left footed effort from a difficult angle.
Al Ain remained undeterred and again within minutes, the scores were level – courtesy an own goal by Al Sahbi, who trying to clear the ball ended up nodding it into his own nettings.
Al Ahli almost went ahead in the 72nd minute after Ismail Ahmed handed a needless free-kick at the top of the box. Al Soma’s right-footed attempt brushed the outstretched hands of Al Ain goalkeeper Essa and found the top right corner of the horizontal. Thereafter, both teams managed several opportunities on the counter but other than some anxious moments, none of them could provide the match winner.
