Zlatko Dalic has little doubt that his Al Ain side will be able to handle the pressure of next month’s Asian Champions League semi-final, after they booked their place in the last four for the first time in nine years.
The UAE club sealed the spot Tuesday night in Saudi Arabia, defeating Al Ittihad 3-1 in the quarter-final second leg to progress 5-1 on aggregate.
Al Ain have not advanced as far in the competition since 2005, when they eventually lost in the final. The 11-time domestic champions are determined to go one better on the continent this season, though, as they seek to emulate the side that lifted the 2003 title.
Al Ain face Al Hilal, another Saudi opponent, in the two-legged semi-final, with the initial encounter taking place in Riyadh on September 16 before they meet again at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium two weeks later.
Much will be expected of Al Ain heading into the tie, although Dalic, who knows Hilal well, having managed them in 2013, insists his squad will not be bowed by the strain. In fact, he believes it should have the opposite effect.
“Of course, I am delighted to reach this stage and to be among Asia’s best teams, as it will give the players a huge incentive to perform at an even higher level in the competition’s coming matches,” he said. “Our main goal is to get to the final and win the competition, not just to get to the semi-final.
“I’m happy to be meeting my old team. It will be an enjoyable experience and I am extremely optimistic about playing in Saudi Arabia, where I began my career in the Gulf.
“I know their weaknesses and strengths. The best team will reach the final and I hope that we can make it.”
Undeniably, the decisiveness of the Ittihad victory provides Al Ain an added confidence. Throughout the two matches, they were significantly superior to their quarter-final rivals. Tuesday’s triumph in Mecca was particularly impressive, given Dalic’s instructions to attack the hosts, despite already possessing a 2-0 aggregate lead.
Al Ain’s offensive game plan was evident from the early stages, with Jires Kembo Ekoko, Ahmed Barman and Omar Abdulrahman each missing gilt-edged opportunities. The visitors seemed set to pay for their wastefulness when Ittihad pulled a goal back on 35 minutes, but Asamoah Gyan quickly settled the tussle, striking his 12th goal of the campaign. Abdulrahman and Ibrahim Diaky each added a goal in the second half.
“We wasted many chances in the first half, clear chances to score,” Dalic said. “We managed to breach their defence on more than one occasion only for our three strikers to miss opportunities that would have ended the contest then.
“After conceding, the players did not betray my complete confidence in them, though, and got back on level terms almost immediately. Naturally, Al Ittihad attacked from the start, and even after going behind, but the third goal sealed our progress.”
Khalid Al Koroni, the Ittihad coach whose position is reportedly now under threat, said that Al Ain deserved to qualify for the last four.
“The match was very hard for us and the first goal for Al Ain made things even harder,” he said. “It destroyed any chances for us to qualify.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow our sports coverage on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
