Al Ain: As Al Ain gear up for the crucial AFC Champions League second leg against South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, former UAE captain Fahd Ali Al Shamsi can’t stop thinking about the club’s first continental title triumph 13 years ago toppling Thailand’s BEC Tero Sasana.
The year 2002 was the inaugural AFC Champions League and a start of a new era in Asian football. The tournament was announced putting a lid on three club tournaments - the Asian Club Championship, the Asian Cup Winners’ Cup and the Asian Super Cup and hence became the most prized event of the calendar from then on.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, was the President of Al Ain Club’s Honorary Council then, when the team took its first giant step to Asian recognition.
Al Ain’s master planning duties were in the hands of the late French coach Bruno Metsu, who had shot to fame after leading the little-known Senegal into the 2002 Fifa World Cup quarter-finals, memorably defeating holders France in their first match.
“Metsu was a class act, a great tactician and could read his players and opponents very well. He made us believe that we could go all the way,” recalled Al Shamsi, who played as the centre-back and also accepted the on-field captain’s role when the experienced Salem Johar was sidelined.
The title was always going to change the way the sport was being played at club level in the UAE but for that Al Ain had to get past the formidable BEC Tero Sasana in the final. Except Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, no Arab club had come close to achieving that feat in any Asian high-profile event — and Al Ain were in line for history.
Metsu’s warriors marched into the semi-finals finishing at the top of Group C with wins over Al Hilal, Qatar’s Al Sadd and Iran’s Esteghlal.
However, the semis hurdle was the toughest of them all against China’s Dalian Shide. “That match was the turning point and from then on we knew we could win it. The Dalian win gave us the belief that we could go all the way,” says Al Shamsi, recollecting that they won the first leg 4-2 on home turf at the Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Stadium.
“The return leg was all about handling the pressure and we were under tremendous pressure,” said Al Shamsi adding, “Farhad Majidi saved the day for us. We were leading 2-0 and I got a red card in the 70th minute and all hell broke loose. They pumped in four goals and we were bracing up for the worst as the match was heading for extra-time. However, Majidi, who was only brought into the team from Al Wasl after our Ivory Coast player Abu Bakr Sango got injured in the camp, changed the complexion of the game completely coming off the bench.”
Brazilian Rodrigo triggered the move, Majidi struck the match winner three minutes from time — and Al Ain were in the final 7-6 on aggregate.
“In the final at home, we were in total control after Salem Jowhar put us in the lead. He was a great player from our times. And we finished 2-0 after they were reduced to 10 following a red card. Mohammad Omar scored the second goal,” revealed Al Shamsi adding that the return leg at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium was also a battle but confidence was high.
“Having won the tough challenge in semis we were upbeat despite conceding a goal of a penalty. However, a lot of credit should go to goal keeper Waleed Salem. He was simply exceptional on the day and we played out the remaining time to win on aggregate.”
Al Shamsi, however, feels that the current crop of players from Al Ain have ‘better quality’ than the team that won in 2003 with a 2-1 aggregate score in the final.
“You have around eight players from the national team and you have a player in Omar Abdul Rahman who is currently the best player in Asia. He is on tremendous pressure and he is on the throne now. Being the captain of the team he can motivate the players and protect the players from the pressure. If he can take the pressure away and let the players concentrate on the game we will win the title,” said Al Shamsi, adding that coach Zlatko Dalic will also have some tricks up his sleeves for the crucial game.
“I think the way he played the first leg was simply excellent. We had the wingers operating well and Omar showed his maturity and class. If they can repeat it here at home and implement Dalic’s tactics to the point, then I don’t see any reason why we can’t win the title.”
Al Ain’s 2002-03 Champions League winning squad: Goalkeeper: Waleed Salem. Defenders: Abdulla Ali, Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Kadjo Julien Afanou, Humaid Fakher. Midfielders: Gharib Hareb, Salem Jawhar, Subait Khater, Rodrigo Mendes Fabiano. Forwards: Mohammed Omar and Farhad Majidi or Faisal Ali. Substitutes: Muataz Abdulla, Juma Khater, Ali Msarri, Ahmad Saeed, Ali Ahmed, Rami Yaslam, Ali Sultan, Helal Saeed, Shehab Ahmed.
