The teams come on to the pitch before kick-off. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Ain keeper Khalid Essa shakes hands with the Yokohama F Marinos players at full time in the Japanese side's 2-1 victory in the AFC Champions League final first leg at the Yokohama International Stadium, on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Ain manager Hernan Crespo and Yokohama coach Harry Kewell shake hands at full time. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Yokohama manager Harry Kewell. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Soufiane Rahimi of Al Ain battles with Shinnosuke Hatanaka of Yokohama. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Mohammed Abbas of Al Ain celebrates his goal. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Khalid Al Hashemi, centre, and his Al Ain teammates shake hands with the Yokohama players at full time. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Kota Watanabe of Yokohama celebrates after scoring their winner. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Kota Watanabe of Yokohama, second left, celebrates after scoring their second goal. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Kota Watanabe of Yokohama celebrates. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Mohammed Abbas of Al Ain celebrates with teammate Soufiane Rahimi after scoring their opening goal against Yokohama F Marinos. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Asahi Uenaka of Yokohama F Marinos heads to score their opening goal. Getty Images
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Asahi Uenaka, right, of Yokohama F Marinos celebrates with teammate Nam Tae-hee after scoring their first goal. Getty Images
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Al Ain's Mohammed Abbas scores Al Ain's first goal. Reuters
Kaku of Al Ain battles with Nam Tae-hee of Yokohama. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Soufiane Rahimi of Al Ain battles with Eduardo of Yokohama. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Ain manager Hernan Crespo during the game. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Ain fans before the first leg against Yokohama F Marinos. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Matias Palacios of Al Ain scores the team's second goal, only to see his strike later disallowed after a VAR review. Getty Images
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Matias Palacios of Al Ain celebrates after scoring the team's second goal, which was chalked off by VAR. Getty Images
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Ain's Emirati goalkeeper Khalid Eisa punches the ball clear. AFP
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Yokohama F Marinos' Taiki Watanabe and Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi battle. AP
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Al Ain's Emirati goalkeeper Khalid Essa makes a save. AFP
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Al Ain's Emirati midfielder Mohammed Abbas attempts an overhead kick. AFP
The teams come on to the pitch before kick-off. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Ain keeper Khalid Essa shakes hands with the Yokohama F Marinos players at full time in the Japanese side's 2-1 victory in the AFC Champions League final first leg at the Yokohama International Stadium, on Saturday, May 11, 2024. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Ain manager Hernan Crespo and Yokohama coach Harry Kewell shake hands at full time. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Yokohama manager Harry Kewell. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Soufiane Rahimi of Al Ain battles with Shinnosuke Hatanaka of Yokohama. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Mohammed Abbas of Al Ain celebrates his goal. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Khalid Al Hashemi, centre, and his Al Ain teammates shake hands with the Yokohama players at full time. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Kota Watanabe of Yokohama celebrates after scoring their winner. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Kota Watanabe of Yokohama, second left, celebrates after scoring their second goal. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Kota Watanabe of Yokohama celebrates. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Mohammed Abbas of Al Ain celebrates with teammate Soufiane Rahimi after scoring their opening goal against Yokohama F Marinos. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LL35KTPYINTXCAVY6S6OG6WXDM.jpg?smart=true&auth=4487a10916157332374178669fde677414d6e9093287588ee3a78f4f1f5801c4&width=400&height=225)
Asahi Uenaka of Yokohama F Marinos heads to score their opening goal. Getty Images
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Asahi Uenaka, right, of Yokohama F Marinos celebrates with teammate Nam Tae-hee after scoring their first goal. Getty Images
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Al Ain's Mohammed Abbas scores Al Ain's first goal. Reuters
Kaku of Al Ain battles with Nam Tae-hee of Yokohama. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Soufiane Rahimi of Al Ain battles with Eduardo of Yokohama. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Ain manager Hernan Crespo during the game. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Ain fans before the first leg against Yokohama F Marinos. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Matias Palacios of Al Ain scores the team's second goal, only to see his strike later disallowed after a VAR review. Getty Images
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Matias Palacios of Al Ain celebrates after scoring the team's second goal, which was chalked off by VAR. Getty Images
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Ain's Emirati goalkeeper Khalid Eisa punches the ball clear. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KM6ZLRU7ISIYIG6HS5A4ZFGX7M.jpg?smart=true&auth=66985e45882d6cfcf95b2cb3d5f59b50fa8a04a294fe69c0d0b101d0169e4f45&width=400&height=225)
Yokohama F Marinos' Taiki Watanabe and Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi battle. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RPPI2V4MWS6P2BSE27FEUCBYOU.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbfa732de04d1b459c275514861a4398119c30763430f655716391a07a261358&width=400&height=225)
Al Ain's Emirati goalkeeper Khalid Essa makes a save. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XSTSWU6HVLEZSTOHYR2SOBVM2Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=b09da78736d0caca9965ff82006f12f3894fd43fb5d07923a62c4245e91b7cfc&width=400&height=225)
Al Ain's Emirati midfielder Mohammed Abbas attempts an overhead kick. AFP
The teams come on to the pitch before kick-off. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Al Ain v Yokohama: UAE club must overcome pressure of history to win ACL final
Hernan Crespo's side trail their Japanese opponents 2-1 from Asian Champions League final first leg
![John McAuley](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F42fdb821-a1ba-456f-980a-444e78c14d20.png?smart=true&auth=e06a33d0c3a9b91f69d2f6f0423c3e38ec6692b751de87539e969acaa5c3893f&width=70&height=70)
John McAuley
24 May, 2024
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