DUBAI // Ahmed Dida, the Al Ahli goalkeeper, says qualification for the Asian Champions League knockout stage helps heal the wounds of the club’s disappointing defence of their Arabian Gulf League title.
On Tuesday night, the Dubai side sealed a place in the last 16 for the first time, twice coming from behind at the Rashid Stadium to defeat Iran's Tractor Sazi 3-2.
The result, coupled with Nasaf Qarshi’s 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli, ensured coach Cosmin Olaroiu’s men finished second in Group D by virtue of their superior head-to-head record against the Uzbek club.
Ahli’s progression has lifted the mood at the 2013/14 UAE champions, who this campaign have struggled in the domestic league. With one round remaining, Ahli sit seventh in the table, 21 points off leaders Al Ain at the summit.
However, Dida says the success in Asia, together with their Super Cup triumph in March, has turned around Ahli’s season. The goalkeeper, who has featured in the past three Champions League matches because of Majed Naser’s suspension, also said there was much to play for this term.
The delayed President’s Cup begins on May 15, with Ahli playing Kalba.
“Just because we didn’t win the league doesn’t mean it’s been a bad season for us,” Dida said. “If we didn’t win the league, we have made up for it by winning the Super Cup and qualifying in Asia for the first time. We still have the President’s Cup to fight for, so there is a lot to play for.
“Sure, this victory will give us confidence. If you have success before a run of games coming up, then it gives you a big push. It motivates you more.
“We’ve made history: it’s the first time for the club to qualify, and the most important thing is we made everyone close to the club happy. We just made it, but we did it.”
Oussama Assaidi, the Ahli winger, praised his teammates’ resolve in a frantic encounter against Tractor Sazi, particularly in energy-sapping conditions at the Rashid Stadium.
With 12 minutes to go the hosts were 2-1 down, but Ahmed Khalil scored twice to gift them the win.
“It was very hard, especially in the heat. You couldn’t even breathe,” said Assaidi, who joined the club from Liverpool in January. “It was like a basketball game, going forwards and back.
“But everyone fought until the end and you see what we can do. We must keep going and improve, and you never know if we can qualify for the next round again. We are a family and we fight for everything.
“It’s nice to get something like this and also the Super Cup. I’m here only three-and-a-half months and we won the cup and now qualify for the second round in Asia. Everyone is happy, everyone can laugh again.”
Since they finished runner-up in their group, Ahli face domestic rivals Al Ain in the last 16, after the Garden City club qualified as Group B winners. The two sides have clashed in several high-profile matches recently, most notably in last season’s President’s Cup final and then again in this year’s Super Cup. They face each other over two legs, on May 20 and 27, with the first leg at Ahli.
Dida, though, played down what has become UAE football’s most hostile match-up, saying: “It’s the Asian Champions League, it’s a different competition. It’s not the league, or the cups, so it’s a different motivation. It doesn’t matter who we play, we’ll just try to do our best and get as far as we can.”
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