Al Ahli’s Assaidi targets top four and Champions League after Super Cup victory

Former Liverpool loanee says victory will act as stimulus for remainder of season, writes John McAuley

Ossama Assaidi, right, of Al Ahli in action during an Arabian Gulf League match against Sharjah at Rashid Stadium in Dubai on February 4, 2015. Hasan Alraesi / Al Ittihad

ABU DHABI // Oussama Assaidi, the Al Ahli winger, has set his sights on securing both a top-four finish in the Arabian Gulf League and qualifying for the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League.

The UAE champions have disappointed this season, with their chances of defending the title almost over as they sit sixth in the domestic table – 16 points behind leaders Al Ain with six rounds to go – and are six points off Al Wahda in fourth place.

Ahli have not fared much better on the continent, where they are bottom of Group D at the halfway mark having collected two points from a possible nine.

There were signs during last Friday’s win in the rescheduled Super Cup, though, that Ahli could be near a return to form.

The Dubai club defeated Al Ain 1-0 at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in the capital thanks to an 86th-minute goal from Salmeen Khamis.

On Friday, Ahli again face Al Ain in a league match at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

Assaidi, who moved from Liverpool to the Rashid Stadium in January, played 80 minutes in Abu Dhabi before receiving a blow to his knee.

He said he believes the Super Cup success could act as a stimulus for his club to finish the campaign on a positive note.

“We’ll keep going and aim for the highest position,” he said. “We have to improve every week and see where we’ll go. When I came we were already not doing well in the league, but in one game we’ve made the season very good.

“Also, if we qualify in the Asian Champions League it can be a big season. We can do more, but the first thing is to improve every week. It was important to win the trophy. We’re very ­happy.”

Signed in the winter window alongside Everton Ribeiro and Kwon Kyung-won, Assaidi said it was always going to take time for the new recruits, none of whom had experience of the UAE, to settle in the country.

The Moroccan winger, 26, initially struggled, although in the past two matches he has provided glimpses of his talent.

Assaidi, who spent the 18 months before his transfer on loan at Premier League side Stoke City, scored the winner in the recent league match against Al Dhafra, which was only the fourth time in 11 fixtures that Ahli had found the net.

He was one of his team’s better players in the first half against Al Ain last week.

“When I came, the team was not doing well,” he said. “We’re getting better and better, but we need time. Also, with the new players and everything.

“With me, I’m getting better. I have to get used to this level because in Europe the football is faster. Here is slower and sometimes you don’t get the ball.

“Sometimes you have to wait a long time for the ball – this is the style of football. But every week I’m improving.”

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