Asian Champions League: Al Ain book spot in quarter-finals with rout of Esteghlal

Al Ain gave their fans a memorable showing and booked their passage for the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League by soundly defeating Esteghlal of Iran 6-1 on Monday night at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

Al Ain's Caio, right, celebrates one of his two goals which helped Al Ain to a 6-2 victory over Esteghlal at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on May 29, 2017. Photo courtesy Aletihad

Al Ain 6, Esteghlal 1

Al Ain: Caio (27, 33) O Abdulrahman (49, 60) Lee (56), Al Shamrani (75)

Esteghlal: Razaei (83)

AL AIN // Al Ain gave their fans a memorable showing and booked their passage to the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League by soundly defeating Esteghlal of Iran 6-1 on Monday night at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

The Brazilian Caio scored twice in the first half before two second-half goals from Omar Abdulrahman, and one apiece from Lee Myung-joo and Nasser Al Shamrani. Al Ain won the two-leg tie on aggregate, 6-2.

Al Ain got off to a perfect start. They cancelled Esteghlal’s one-goal lead from the first leg with Caio’s first at 27 minutes and took the aggregate lead to 2-1 six minutes later, with Caio again providing the score.

On the first goal, the Brazilian volleyed home after exchanging passes with Lee Myung-joo. On the second, Caio beat the offside trap to score off a long ball from Ahmed Barman to put Al Ain in the driver’s seat.

In the second half, Abdulrahman was on target with a left-footed effort from a free kick by his older brother Mohammed Abdulrahman, and Lee, playing his last game for Al Ain, scored after collecting a back-heel pass from Al Shamrani.

Abdulrahman later scored his second of the match and also set up Al Shamrani to close the scoring for last year’s runner up in the continental championship.

Kaveh Razaei pulled a consolation goal back for the visitors seven minutes from time.

• In Monday night’s other match, Dubai club Al Ahli went down 3-1 to their namesakes from Saudi Arabia to lose 4-2 on aggregate and exit the competition.

The Jeddah side roared into a 2-0 lead on the night with goals from Taisir Al Jassim and Hussain Al Mogahwi inside the first 25 minutes.

The home side had Makhete Diop sent of after 58 minutes for a second yellow card.

Saad Abdulameer made it 3-0 midway through the second half when he converted a penalty and Asamoah Gyan grabbed a consolation in injury time, also from the spot.

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