There is no danger of high-flying Al Ain taking floundering Arabian Gulf Super Cup opponents Al Ahli lightly, according to coach Zlatko Dalic.
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The two sides meet tomorrow for the long-delayed clash at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium as the season’s second piece of silverware is contested.
A real turnaround has occurred between them since meeting during May’s President’s Cup final. Al Ain salvaged glory from an awful domestic campaign with victory against the Red Knights then, this defeat preventing the Dubai outfit from claiming an unprecedented quadruple.
Ahli in Red and Al Ain in White pic.twitter.com/cFgXEJWlRT
— Arabian Gulf League (@AGL_Sports) March 25, 2015
Their prospects have since turned around, Dalic’s men four-points clear in the Arabian Gulf League while their rivals languish well off the pace in sixth. Despite this disparity, the Croatian supremo insisted his side remain aware of chastened Ahli’s residual threat.
“We are ready for this game,” he said. “We respect Ahli and are aware that they are trying to save their season.
“Their players will be wanting to prove everything and it will not be easy for us, at all. We will try everything to win this difficult game.
“You can never write off Ahli. They have tremendous players and a coach [Cosmin Olaroiu] who has won everything in the Middle East. It is not important now how either team has been playing. It is a one-off game, anything can happen.”
Both sides are in the midst of a gruelling run of fixtures as they juggle AGL, AFC Champions League and Super Cup commitments.
The fact Al Ain top both their domestic and continental tables has been given all the more credit by star pair Asamoah Gyan and Omar Abdulrahman’s lengthy spells of inactivity.
Working hard to regain full fitness @alainfcae: http://t.co/az7ZUVc74I
— ASAMOAH GYAN (@ASAMOAH_GYAN3) March 21, 2015
UAE football’s usual leading goalscorer and assist maker have only been on the pitch together seven times in all competitions since September 16.
The double act have missed the Boss’ last two fixtures, an impressive 1-0 away ACL triumph at Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor and 5-1 top-flight thumping of Emirates Club. Their participation in Abu Dhabi remains uncertain, Abdulrahman nursing heavy bruising while Gyan has been battling an infection and a hamstring complaint.
Dalic praised the efforts from the less celebrated members of his squad for filling the void regularly left by the club’s prized assets. He said: “They [Abdulrahman and Gyan] are the most important players in my team. They are my best striker and playmaker.
“But we have to respect my other players, we could not have done anything without them. Every one of them has done a great job, playing fantastically.”
Al Ain come into the clash in fantastic condition. They are favourites to secure a third AGL success in four seasons, possess the strength to at least repeat last year’s run to the ACL semi-finals and the post-season President’s Cup could provide yet another trophy.
Dalic believes that victory tomorrow could help build momentum for the challenges ahead. He said: “Sure, if we win the Super Cup it will be very good for our confidence. But it is only one trophy.
“We have not won anything yet or this game. We know we need to be at our best to stand any chance against Ahli.”
