Five minutes completely recast UAE football last night, Al Ahli’s ruthless salvo sending them towards AFC Champions League salvation and inflicting a summer of misery on Al Ain.
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There was no sign of the seismic shift to come prior to the interval, Zlatko Dalic’s Arabian Gulf League champions edging towards round-of-16, second-leg success thanks to Asamoah Gyan’s early opener.
The reverberations of what followed are set to dictate the summer narrative. Ahmed Khalil – the oft- maligned-but-occasionally-brilliant striker – was at the heart of a breathtaking revival.
His 51st-minute header took a fortunate rebound off Salmeen Khamis to level on the night, a breathtaking low finish two minutes later and predatory rebound on 56 minutes making the host’s task impossible courtesy of the cherished away goals after last Wednesday’s scoreless opening tie.
Al Ain’s top-flight title seemed a lifetime ago as the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium erupted in open rebellion, this loss following four days after their President’s Cup defence evaporated at the quarter-final stage.
A once-brilliant campaign has ended in doubt and pain when it once promised so much. The cry for a summer full of changes began from when the referee called time, the Boss left with too much to do in an utterly-incredible match despite Gyan’s second and Rashed Essa’s strike making it 3-3 late on.
الاهلي يقصي العين من دوري ابطال اسيا pic.twitter.com/5mJAK15YYQ
— Al Ahli Club (@AlAhliClub) May 27, 2015
In contrast, a season of frustration was exorcised for Red Knights boss Cosmin Olaroiu. The Romanian and his staff exploded with joy as every goal cut a knife into the team he used to manage and erased the pain of going from top-flight winners to a dishevelled seventh place.
When being dismantled 4-0 by Al Wasl at home in February there seemed no way his reign would go into a third season. Now, he can rejoice in a club-first foray into the ACL quarter-finals and plan for Saturday’s President’s Cup semi-final at Al Dhafra.
Add some more stars in the summer and hopes of stupendous surge to match their 2013/14 treble will re-appear.
The Boss began with purpose yesterday, left-back Mohammed Fayez breezing past several defenders to tee up Gyan to sweep home from close range. They then kept the visitors at arm’s length, ceding possession but holding shape – Khalil’s dipping 30-yard free-kick on 28 minutes the only moment of worry.
Attacking midfielder Luis Jimenez was daringly thrown on at the break by Olaroiu, who had quietly seethed throughout a passive first half. His adventure was instantly rewarded, the attacking midfielder’s corner being headed fortuitously by Khalil onto Khamis’ shoulder and in.
“90+2” Goal! Al Ain 3 and Al Ahli 3. Rashid (Al Ain) #alainfc pic.twitter.com/3E8gjFf3XD
— Al Ain FC (@alainfcae) May 27, 2015
The shell-shocked Boss then surrendered in uncharacteristic fashion, going from omnipotent champions to tired also-rans. What was to follow came from left field, conceding three goals in a top flight or ACL match for the first time since October’s 4-3 defeat to Al Jazira.
A beautifully-weighted throughball from Copa America-bound playmaker Everton Ribeiro sent Khalil clear, brushing off UAE team-mate Mohanad Salem to fire into the bottom corner with devastating accuracy.
Ahli smelled blood and a killer third soon followed. Brazil international Ribeiro – who looks set to be the UAE’s star player next term judging by the way he has finished this one following his much-vaunted February move from Cruzeiro – was granted too much space 20 yards out, his shot being pushed to Khalil to tap home.
The Boss showed real character to rebound, Gyan half-volleying home with 12 minutes left before substitute Rashed Essa sparked hope far too late with a 20-yard daisy cutter.
But the final whistle followed moments later. Olaroiu allowed himself a rare smile as he was engulfed by his colleague, Al Ain superstar Omar Abdulrahman exiting the field in tears.
