The Asian Football Confederation might be an independent overseer of the game on the continent.
But if they were not actively hoping Al Ahli made it all the way to this season’s AFC Champions League Elite final, then they will at least have breathed a sigh of relief that they ultimately did.
After all, the regional governing body had taken a risk when they opted to reinvent their premier club competition, and play a new finals event at one centralised hub.
Gone are the guarantees of crowds that were inherent in the old format, where the final was played in home and away legs. As we saw when Al Ain beat Yokohama F Marinos at a packed Hazza bin Zayed Stadium to clinch last year’s final.
This time around, the last four surviving teams from East Asia, and the same from the West, travelled to Jeddah to player the quarters, semis and final.
The final was set for King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, the magnificent 62,000-seater structure around 30 minutes from Jeddah’s city centre.
When Al Ahli – or their city rivals Al Ittihad – play at the ground informally known as The Jewel, it pulsates with the sort of atmosphere that has few rivals anywhere in world football.
So it stood to reason it would pop once Ahli made it all the way to the final. Their 2-0 win over Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday was an epic event.
The atmosphere had been whipped into a frenzy over the course of the eight-day finals schedule. By the end, the city was enraptured by it. Jeddah was brought, if not quite to a standstill, then at least a very slow crawl.
As traffic crept towards the stadium for the final, entrepreneurs hawked green and white scarfs, armed with card readers for quicker transactions.
Thousands of ticketless supporters surged on the gates, leading for them to be closed while the security operation was beefed up.
Once the hometown club had sealed their first Asian title, via goals from Galeno and Franck Kessie, joy coursed through the stands.
As the stage for the trophy ceremony was being set, a number of players ran off to the dressing room to get their phones to record the celebrations.
Riyad Mahrez took photos of his daughter on the stage. Ivan Toney made off with two match balls to give to his kids. And Ali Majrashi, the Ahli full-back and fan favourite, was crying tears of happiness.
All of which is fantastic. But it does beg the question, what would it have been like had the final been played out between a side from Japan and one from South Korea, for example? Or even an Emirati, Qatari or Iranian club? There would have been as much tumbleweed as tickertape.
Even when Al Nassr – a Riyadh-based club who have the sport’s most recognisable player, Cristiano Ronaldo, in their ranks – faced Kawasaki Frontale in the semi-final, the ground was less than half full.
The first phase of the competition was also revamped this year, along similar lines to the larger league structures than Uefa have done in Europe, too.
There was then a round of double-legged ties – as the knock-out stage formerly was – in the last 16, as a bridge between the league phase and the finals.
The three teams from Saudi Arabia topped the West zone, and they made it through their last 16 ties, too. Having Ahli and Al Hilal – another Riyadh club, but who have fans all over Saudi Arabia – in the finals phase guaranteed a decent turn out.
The event will culminate in Jeddah again next year, and there are tweaks that can be made.
For example, it would be fairer if the four quarter-finals are played over the space of two days, rather than three.
Kawasaki, the winners of the last quarter-final, had to play all three matches within the space of six days. That is two days less than Hilal, who won the first quarter-final, would have had had they made it to the final.
The tight schedule realistically favours the sides with the biggest budgets and therefore the bigger squads. You might assume that to be the Saudi Arabian clubs, but Kawasaki disproved that theory, thanks to clever management.
They made six changes to their starting XI between the quarter-final and semi. They then made two more substitutions at half time in that game against Nassr, and had used all five replacements before 70 minutes were on the clock.
It was all part of a perfectly executed masterplan by their coach, Shigetoshi Hasebe, who brought about the downfall of Ronaldo and Co.
No wonder the club’s fans love him. Ahead of the final, they were waving a sign carrying his image, with the message: “Hasebe Frontale.”
His expertise could only take them so far, and they were beaten by the best team in the competition in the final.
Ahli definitely benefited from having such vociferous backing in the final, and they will be excited by the prospect of havening similar for their defence next season.
Whether anyone from beyond Saudi Arabia - particularly those who have to travel from the other side of the continent - can mount a challenge is going to be intriguing to see.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m. Winner: Majd Al Megirat, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Shehhi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: Dassan Da, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Heba Al Wathba, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Harbour Spirit, Adrie de Vries, Jaber Ramadhan.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Asia%20Cup%202022
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Windows
Release Date: April 10
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
