■ Zobahan v Al Ain, Monday, 8pm at Foolad Shahr Stadium in Iran
Zoran Mamic says his Al Ain players must be at their “maximum level” to get a result against Zobahan on Monday to keep alive chances of making the Asian Champions League knockout stage.
The UAE side, runners-up in last year’s competition, take on the Iranians at Isfahan’s Foolad Shahr Stadium knowing defeat would most likely consign them to an unexpected early exit.
At present, Al Ain sit third in a tightly contested Group C, one place and one point behind Zobahan with two matches remaining. The top two teams qualify for the last 16.
Al Ain should take heart from last year’s match between the two sides at the same venue, though, when a 2-0 victory in the second leg of the last-16 tie sealed a 3-1 win on aggregate.
However, Zobahan did hold Al Ain to a 1-1 draw in February’s group opener at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, meaning Mamic is well aware of the threat posed by Monday’s opponents.
“Zobahan are a very organised team, very compact, with very good individual players,” said the Croatian, who replaced Zlatko Dalic in February.
“In attack, they have players who can decide games on their own. That’s why we have to be at our maximum level to survive this game and we have to give our best.
“Last year I was not the coach, but I saw the game. Al Ain played a very, very good match, but I will not compare. Every match is different and every match has its specific things.
“We expect the second-last match in the group stage to be a very, very important match for both teams, a match that can decide the result of this group. We will give everything tomorrow.”
Al Ain come into the match on the back of the disappointing 4-3 defeat to Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League little more than one week ago — a result that left the Garden City side, Asian champions in 2003, struggling to qualify for the 2018 tournament as they are now fourth in the table.
Mamic said defensive frailties have cost his side — they have conceded eight goals in the past three matches spanning the Champions League and the league — but highlighted long-term injuries to the likes of Mohammed Ahmed and Mohammed Fayez as reason for that.
“Yes, that’s our problem, not only in the Champions League but also in the league,” Mamic said.
“We miss some important players in the defensive line — two national team players who have long-term injuries. That’s the big problem, but we cannot change the situation. We have what we have and from these players we have to do our best.
“We’ve been a little bit unlucky in the last few games, but tomorrow we need also a little bit of luck in the game. But we are ready to fight with Zobahan and to take points here and make our life a little bit easier.”
Still undefeated in this year’s competition, Al Ain are also without midfielder Amer Abdulrahman and Saudi Arabia striker Nasser Al Shamrani.
Elsewhere, Al Wahda are playing for little more than pride against Qatar’s Al Rayyan at the Al Nahyan Stadium.
The President’s Cup finalists sit bottom of Group D with a solitary point from four matches and, bar a series of exceptional results, are certain eliminated from the competition.
jmccauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
