DUBAI // Mohammed Omar, the former Al Ain striker who scored the decisive goal in the 2003 Asian Champions League final, is confident Al Ahli can this month become the second UAE club to lift the continental crown.
The Dubai side face Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande across two legs, with the home encounter taking place this Saturday at the Rashid Stadium. The teams then meet in Guangzhou on November 21.
Omar, one of the most celebrated Emirati footballers of his generation, played an integral role in Al Ain’s victory 12 years ago, scoring the second goal in the first leg against Thailand’s BEC Tero Sasana as the Garden City club emerged 2-0 victors.
BEC triumphed 1-0 in the return fixture, but Al Ain took the title 2-1 on aggregate. Since then, Al Ain are the only UAE club to reach another Champions League final - they finished runner-up to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad in 2005.
Omar said he was not surprised it has taken so long for another Emirati club to make the showpiece, however he is convinced Ahli are set to add their name to the trophy.
“All that time, there was no team ready, but now Ahli is ready,” he said. “Can they win? They will win.
“I hope they will win, I think they will, but I cannot look and say what they need to do. I believe they have the necessary quality to get a positive result though, both for Ahli and for the UAE.”
Ahli were not expected to advance this far in the competition, especially given that they had never previously qualified for the knockout stages. Al Ain were traditionally the UAE’s most competent club in the Champions League, however Ahli defeated their domestic rivals on away goals in the last 16.
Omar said the fact that Ahli bettered Al Ain’s run last year to the semi-finals did not shock him, either.
“No, because Ahli beat Al Ain, so it has already been proved Ahli is stronger,” he said. “Both teams are good just now. This season they are the two best teams in the UAE league.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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