DUBAI // Cosmin Olaroiu says his Al Ahli side are playing not just for club but for country when they attempt to secure a place in the Asian Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday.
The Dubai club go into their last-eight second leg against Naft Tehran with a 1-0 lead following their narrow victory in Iran three weeks ago. Rodrigo Lima, the summer signing from Benfica, scored the goal.
Ahli have never been this far in the continental competition but are seeking to emulate Al Ain, the only UAE winners of the trophy, who reached the last four 12 months ago.
They host a Naft team yet to register a victory in the Iranian Pro League this season, although Alireza Mansourian’s men created enough opportunities in the first encounter to suggest they can cause Ahli problems at Rashid Stadium.
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Olaroiu said his players must be aware of the threat posed by the Iranians, as well as the significance of the historic clash.
“We have 90 minutes. We don’t look back, only forward, to the game tomorrow,” he said. “We have 90 minutes to make something very big for this country, for this club.
“I hope the players will understand they have the responsibility of 1 million people, and the heart of 1 million people, and they will play in this way.
“We cannot think about the result from the first game. It’s a new match. “
Ahli have no fresh injury worries, with only full-back Essa Ahmed unavailable for selection as he recovers from surgery.
Naft are in a similar situation, with Iman Mobali, the former Al Wasl and Al Nasr midfielder and a key component for his current side, their only absentee.
“We saw in the first game, and the previous matches I’ve watched, that Naft are a strong team with experienced players,” Olaroiu said. “So I hope we find the right motivation and determination and we keep the concentration from the first game, when we didn’t concede many chances. This is the most important thing for this kind of match.
“It will not be easy. I expect it to be more difficult than first game, but I’m sure everybody will give their all to qualify for the next round and make a big performance for this club.”
Mansourian labelled his side’s chances of progression as “exactly 50 per cent”, but he said Naft are aware the clash is an all-or-nothing proposition.
“We know everything about tomorrow,” he said. “We play Al Ahli, one of the best. In my opinion, who wins tomorrow could be champions of Asia.
“We have to work more, work hard to have any chance. At 11pm tomorrow, we can be happy or we can be sad.
“So this is our last chance. We have to be ready physically, psychologically, everything. We can’t think about anything in one week or two weeks – it’s tomorrow, our last chance.
“If you want to be a good team, you have to be ready for everything.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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