Abu Dhabi: The key to a spot in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League between Arabian Gulf League champions Al Ain and Al Ahli will be endurance.
Both teams are going into the match on Wednesday in the backdrop of a long and demanding season and the affects were already seen when weary holders Al Ain were shown the door by Al Nasr in the Presidents Cup quarter-finals.
The first leg between Al Ain and Al Ahli had also ended in a 0-0 stalemate at Al Rashid Stadium in Dubai. However, Al Ain playing in their own backyards — Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium — will definitely give them some psychological edge but that would be slight and coach Zlatko Dalic was urging his players to give one last peak performance.
“Tomorrow will be the last game of the season for my team and it has been a very, very long season for us. It has been difficult to keep my players in the same shape all season. I hope my players play with the same fire and energy tomorrow,” said Dalic, who revealed he had set two goals this season: one was to win the local league and to go all the way in the AFC Championship.
“Out of my two goals, we have done one tough job and now we have another tough job for tomorrow. We played four games against Al Ahli this season and each game was very competitive and tough as two matches ended in draw and one win for each team,” added the Croatian. Al Ain created a lot of opportunities in the first leg but his strike force — Asamoah Gyan, Ebrahima Diaky, Jires Kembo-Ekoko and Omar Abdul Rahman muffed opportunities.
However, Dalic was of the view that there was nothing to worry about. “I expect the players to give the same fight and don’t have any reason to be nervous. We have to play good defence and be careful. I’m sure my team will create some chances, but we have to be careful of the attack and see how it goes. It is simple, we have to play a smart game,” said Dalic, who added that he will do everything in his powers to get a positive result.
Al Ain’s Omar Abdul Rahman said: “We are fully aware of what is required of us in our own stadium and I hope our fans will turn up in large numbers to support us. We respect our opponents Al Ahli but we are all determined to win and qualify for the quarter-finals.”
Abdul Rahman went on to add that though his team was saddened by the shock exit from the Presidents Cup, it will not hamper their performance here. “I want to assure our fans that the loss will not affect our quest to qualify for the next stage. We expect the fans to support and enhance our power in our own backyards.”
Al Ahli coach Cosmin Olaroiu also shared the same opinion as his rival coach: “There are two very strong teams and both want to qualify for the quarter-finals. All I hope that the physical condition is not an obstacle to players of both teams. Al Ain is playing their last game of the season and will be looking to conclude on a high but we also have enough determination.”
The Romanian went on to add that more than the physical fatigue, the mental strength will also be tested. “This confrontation to stay in the Champions League will require special effort. There are other different factors to deal with and while physical factors can be addressed, mental energy is difficult to obtain.”
Al Ahli winger Luis Antonio Jiménez was also upbeat about his side’s chances. “Certainly, the game will come strong, tough and the intensity will be like the previous match. I feel we can post a win here and qualify. I hope to achieve this goal, especially with the way the team has upped the game now,” he said.
The action starts at 7.50 local time.
