Dalic is in no mood to celebrate with job only half-done

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Pre-season pays dividends: Dalic.

    Victorious Al Ain boss Zlatko Dalic has “forbid” all talk of yesterday’s platform-setting quarter-final, first leg victory against Al Ittihad to ensure his players remained focused on finishing the job.

    The Boss boast a commanding advantage ahead of next Tuesday’s fixture at King Abdullah Sports City, following strikes from Ismail Ahmed and Asamoah Gyan.

    There is, however, no risk of the result going to the players’ heads.

    “Now we have a good result, tomorrow [Wednesday] we forget today [Tuesday] and prepare for the game in Ittihad,” Dalic said.

    “I expect a very hard game for us. We have 2-0 for us, but I forbid thinking about the good result.

    “We played a good game, especially in the second half. In halftime we changed our game, I tried to tell my players they must pass and keep the ball for more time.

    “The last 20 minutes were more difficult, but I understand my players, it is our first game, we are not in optimal form.”

    The tie was lit up by a stellar performance from playmaker Omar Abdulrahman, his lofted assist for the second goal worth the price of admission alone.

    Dalic believes the UAE international had created something only a select number of players in the world are capable of producing.

    He added: “Everybody knows what he can do. Omar is a good player, he is famous for a long time.

    “I tell him sometimes he has too many touches, but with the difference he can make, everything was special. It was an amazing, amazing pass for Asamoah Gyan.

    “Only two or three players can make that pass in the world.”

    Dalic’s name was roared by the grateful Boss fans after the final whistle, with the win the latest in a long line of successes since he took over a failing club in March.

    Ittihad took four points from the Boss during their group stage meetings, but another success never looked likely.

    Coach Khalid Al Koroni believes his team had paid the price for panicking after Ismail Ahmed opened the scoring.

    He said: “There is a clear difference between the group and the knockout stages of the championship. When Al Ain scored first, it put a lot of pressure on the Ittihad players to score.”

    Recommended