Dalic turns attention to semi-final prospect of Al Hilal

Barnaby Read 16:21 27/08/2014
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  • Happy man: Zlatko Dalic ended his side's nine-year absence from the semi-final stages of the Champions League.

    Having watched his side ease into the AFC Champions League semi-finals, Al Ain coach Zlatko Dalic is firmly focused on their next opponents and Dalic's former club, Al Hilal who they face over two-legs next month.

    Al Ain convincingly progressed past Al Ittihad in the quarter-finals, winning away in Saudi Arabia 3-1 on the night to secure a 5-1 aggregate victory.

    Goals from Asamoah Gyan, Omar Abdulrahman and Ibrahim Diaky cancelled out Ittihad's opener and ensured the 2003 winners reached the semi-final stage of the competition for the first time in nine years.

    Dalic was in charge of Hilal for 12 months from 2012-2013 and lifted the Crown Prince Cup before heading to the Arabian Gulf League with Al Ain.

    "We came to Saudi Arabia ready for the match and we wanted to train in Jeddah in order to save time," Dalic told the official AFC Champions League website. "We are satisfied with the performance and the result and we were relaxed after we scored the equaliser.

    "We achieved what we wanted early in the match as this made things easier for the players and they were released from pressure and they showed a good performance. We are happy that we managed to repeat our victory today and to advance to the semi-finals."

    Last night's victory in Saudi Arabia ended the club's seven-game losing streak in Saudi and Dalic will hope his new-look side can truly put their woeful recent record in the country to bed in the semis against Ittihad's compatriots, Hilal.

    "We will turn our attention to Al Hilal now and I know them well as I have previously coached them and I know their weaknesses and strengths," said the Croatian. "The best team will reach the final and I hope that we can make it."

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