Bani Yas face Al Khor in GCC final on Friday

Abu Dhabi: Bani Yas will face Al Khor in Doha, Qatar, on Friday in the first leg of the GCC Clubs’ Championship final in their quest to win the regional title for the first time and save their season after failing to win any domestic competitions.

“It is a golden chance and we will have to be at our best not to squander it specially regarding achieving a positive result away before the return leg at home next Thursday,” Yousuf Jaber, the team’s captain, told Gulf News before leaving to the Qatari capital on Wednesday.

Bani Yas will travel with confidence, given that they boast many UAE international players in their ranks, such as Amer Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Fawzi and Habboush Saleh.

They also have in their squad former internationals such as Nawaf Mubarak and Jaber, who join the likes of the Egyptian Mohammad Abu Trika, Swede Christian Wilhelmsson and Senegalese striker Andre Senghor.

Salem Al Orfi, the team’s caretaker coach, is expected to apply a somewhat defensive 3-5-2 strategy, with Mohammad Gholom in goal and Jaber, Ebrahim Saeed (or Mohammad Jaber) and Taher Mohammad in defence while Sultan Al Ghafiri, Abou Trika, Fawzi, Nawaf and Amer in midfield while Wilhelmsson and Senghor will lead the attack.

“Not losing in Doha will be a big step towards the title,” Jaber said.

Al Khor are led by Romanian coach Laszlo Boloni, who has vast experience of UAE football having led Al Jazira in 2007-08 and Al Wahda in 2010.

Al Khor have a score to settle with the UAE clubs after they were knocked out at the semi-final stage last year by Al Wasl.

The match will be broadcast exclusively live on Al Jazeera Sport from 6.30pm.

Meanwhile, Australian midfielder Nicky Carle has confirmed that he will return to Sydney FC after his loan spell with Bani Yas expires at the end of the season.

The 31-year-old former Bristol City and Crystal Palace player is still under contract at his parent club Sydney FC until the end of next season but has just signed a year’s extension until the end of the 2014/15 campaign. Bani Yas had the option to purchase the player.

Carle has scored three goals in 37 appearances for Bani Yas this season, with the Abu Dhabi club third in the Etisalat Pro League with two games remaining.

Carle first signed for his hometown team Sydney in 2010 and scored eight goals in 42 appearances over two seasons with the club.

“I’m really happy to be coming back to Sydney FC,” said Carle. “I enjoyed my experience in Abu Dhabi with Bani Yas but Sydney is home and I want to finish my career with Sydney FC.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to Sydney FC, working with [coach] Frank Farina and doing my best for the club,” he added.

Carle returns to Sydney within the salary cap as Italian star Alessandro Del Piero and Brett Emerton already occupy the club’s marquee player allocation.