Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-1 Al Ain
Jeinbuk: Leonardo 70', 77'
Al Ain: Asprilla 63'
Man of the Match: Leonardo (Jeonbuk)
JEONJU // Danilo Asprilla notched first, a precious, precious away goal, but then Leonardo struck twice across seven minutes and Al Ain’s chances of a second Asian Champions League crown suddenly slipped a little farther from their grasp.
The UAE club, the only side from the country to have lifted the trophy, emerged from the first leg of their third final clutching a 2-1 deficit, beaten by Leonardo’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at a boisterous and bouncing Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Saturday.
Targeting a positive result to take back to the Garden City in seven days’ time, Al Ain had to content themselves with a narrow defeat, buoyed though by Asprilla’s telling touch just after the hour.
It provided Al Ain with not only a lead, but a goal that eventually means a 1-0 victory at the Hazza bin Zayed next Saturday would suffice. Asia club football’s prized crown could be theirs once more, ending 13 years without it, a long and laborious spell that now stands 90 minutes from its conclusion.
Related:
• Five lessons: Al Ain must learn from first leg defeat if they are to become Asian champions
• Reaction: Zlatko Dalic 'convinced' Al Ain can overturn first leg deficit and become champions
• Exclusive interview: Al Ain's Lee Myung-joo has one last covert operation before returning to Korea
Al Ain’s chances, though, are slimmer than before the opening match of the two-legged showpiece kicked into action. It was a frenetic and fiery encounter to the south of Seoul, where Zlatko Dalic opted to position playmaker Omar Abdulrahman as the spearhead to his attack, Al Ain’s star man chosen to shine up top in place of striker Douglas.
It worked in last month’s semi-final second leg at El Jaish, but against Jeonbuk Abdulrahman struggled to exert his usual influence, shadowed dutifully by the resolute Choi Chul-soon. Typically a right-back, he had been given a special role to thwart a special player on the most special of nights.
As the clear favourite for next month’s Asian player of the year, Abdulrahman would have expected to offer more, although his clever nutmeg and lashed shot not long after half-time forced home goalkeeper Kwon Sun-tae into his first meaningful save. Al Ain had threatened in bursts before the interval, chiefly through Ismail Ahmed’s tame header and Caio twice firing off target from range, but they could not find the breakthrough.
At the other end, Jeonbuk were denied what appeared an obvious penalty when Ahmed Barman kicked Kim Bo-kyung in the 24th minute, causing the Jeonbuk midfielder to crash to the ground and the home fans to burst into life. The referee’s assistant spotted it, but deemed the infringement had taken place right on the edge of the Al Ain area. Replays seemed to show it was inside.
Reprieve granted, Al Ain made the most of it in the 63rd minute. Moments earlier, Asprilla had spurned a golden opportunity, his control deserting him when through on goal, yet he responded by receiving Abdulrahman’s clever pass 18 yards from the Jeonbuk goal and lacing a left-footed half-volley high past Kwon. Often praised and pilloried in equal measure, it was textbook Asprilla.
Then, Jeonbuk retaliated almost immediately. Unbeaten at home in 11 Champions League matches, Leonardo ensured Choi Kang-hee’s side would stretch it to 12.
First, he stepped inside the Al Ain defence on 70 minutes and unleashed a rasping drive past Khalid Essa in the Al Ain net, a shot from nothing that left the UAE goalkeeper rooted to the spot. Seven minutes later, the Brazilian had his second, converting from the penalty spot after a combination of Mohanad Salem and Mohammed Fayez had hauled down beanpole striker Kim Shin-wook. Leonardo’s double took his tally in this year’s competition to 10 goals in 13 appearances — bettered only by compatriot Adriano at FC Seoul.
Al Ain pressed forward for an equaliser, but could not make their pressure count, as Jeonbuk threatened to grab a third on the counter. Asprilla again troubled Kwon in the dying moments, while right-back Fawzi Fayez cleared a Jeonbuk header off the line.
Al Ain were beaten, but are certainly not done. The slenderest of margins can be clawed back at home on Saturday. Do that, score against Jeonbuk and keep the Koreans out, and finally, that elusive second Champions League crown is theirs.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
