‘Everything to play for’ in Champions League last-16 as Al Ahli and Al Ain play out goalless first leg

The Asian Champions League last-16 first leg between Al Ahli and Al Ain produced plenty of fireworks and controversy, just sadly no goals.

Omar Abdulrahman, left, of Al Ain in action during the Asian Champions League football match between Al Ahli and Al Ain at Rashid Stadium in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

DUBAI // Cosmin Olaroiu and Zlatko Dalic shared a long embrace at the final whistle, but both knew the job remains only half done.

Respective managers at Al Ahli and Al Ain, they had watched the UAE’s fiercest rivalry get an Asian Champions League revamp, hoisted to the continent’s elite club competition for the very first time.

Yet at the halfway stage of their last-16 encounter, and with a place in the quarter-finals stage at stake, there is nothing to separate the two clubs. A 0-0 draw at the Rashid Stadium, played out in energy-sapping conditions on Wednesday night, means next week’s return leg in the Garden City is set up perfectly. Game on.

“Now we pass everything to the second leg in Al Ain,” said Olaroiu afterwards. “The good thing is we didn’t concede a goal, but the bad thing is we created chances and didn’t score. When you play against a team like Al Ain you need to take the chances you create.

“But my players ran more, they were very motivated, very committed and fought until the end. Al Ain are a very good team, with very experienced players. Now we see what will happen in the second match.”

Ahli arguably had the better chances, going closest through Ismail Al Hammadi in the 74th minute, when the winger jinked across Al Ain’s goal only to see his strike cannon off the Al Ain crossbar. Majed Hassan, his UAE national team colleague, had almost broken the deadlock in the first half, but Khalid Essa reacted brilliantly to palm away his effort from close range.

For their part, Al Ain only really threatened during an 11-minute spell before the break, when Asamoah Gyan twice forced saves from Ahmed Dida. Sandwiched in between, Ibrahim Diaky volleyed Omar Abdulrahman’s raking pass straight at the Ahli goalkeeper.

“It’s a good result for us, but we have achieved nothing,” Dalic said. “Everything is open. In the first half we played better, but in the second half we got tired, like Al Ahli.

“That’s normal, it’s a big game against a strong team. And at home it will be a dangerous game. I can say nothing now because every time we play against Ahli it’s a tough game, both teams fight. This is always the way.”

So a fourth meeting this season played out much like its predecessors, in that a glut of goals never arrived, although subsequently the fifth instalment has its perfect script.

Precariously balanced, the next 90 minutes will substantially colour the clubs’ respective campaigns. Al Ain may have failed to secure that vital away goal, but the competition’s best defence will be confident of maintaining their resolve at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

In the intervening period, though, both sides must negotiate weekend assignments in the President’s Cup, and so their focus shifts temporarily to those. However, next Wednesday’s Asian rematch already looms large. Typically, Olaroiu was keen to keep playing it cool.

“We respect all competitions in the same way, and we don’t have any priority,” he said. “We treat the President’s Cup game against Dubai club the same as the Champions League match against Al Ain.

“It is not easy playing one match and then four days later in the Champions League. We want to give a good show, for everyone to enjoy it. But this is the situation.”

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