#360view: Lima's signing could prove the greatest Al Ahli history

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  • Star man: Lima

    How soon can a new signing earn legendary status?

    Lima could test this out tonight as he bids to fire Al Ahli into the hallowed AFC Champions League final and continue his remarkable introduction.

    – ACL: Cosmin confident players have what it takes to reach final

    – AGL: Happy camp key to Al Wahda improvement
    – AGL: Victory sees Bani Yas soar to top of the table
    – RATE, SHARE, WIN: With Sport360 ValoraFutbol

    The 32-year-old has had an incredible effect since a €7 million (Dh28.4m) switch from Benfica. His record at the Portuguese giants was exemplary, yet even the most optimistic members of the Red Knights’ recruitment team could not have envisaged the impact of a signing far from first choice when a tortuous hunt for a new striker began as far back as summer 2014.

    A club which endured domestic disaster last term has been lifted by his presence, providing an instant cure to their chronic lack of goals. The 32-year-old could be enough to see the UAE celebrate its first entrant into the decider of the continent’s premier club competition in a decade.

    An extraordinary 11 strikes have been plundered in his opening nine matches, scoring at least once in every appearance. Not bad for a player who did not feature prominently in the management’s list of targets.

    The Brazilian struck a wonderful header during last month’s 1-1 semi-final draw at Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, an away goal making Ahli slight favourites to continue their historic run through the knockout stages in tonight’s second leg.

    The Crescent are Asian royalty, winning the ACL twice and being runners-up three times – including last year against upstarts Western Sydney Wanderers. They have won all three of this term’s Saudi Professional League fixtures and boast a spine from the Saudi team which proved too good for the UAE in their recent 2018 World Cup qualifier.

    Al Ain were brushed aside at this stage in 2014, a 4-2 aggregate victory doing little to detail the stark difference between the sides.

    But even this fearsome set-up could do little to stop Lima. He set the platform for a confident display in Riyadh, quelling the febrile atmosphere inside the 68,752-capacity King Fahd International Stadium. The former Braga man’s dynamism and ability to make the ball stick will be key. Confidence abounds in the Ahli ranks, knowing if they create the chances they have a centre forward to put them away.

    This was the case in the quarter-final against Naft Tehran. A trademark header was notched in Iran, before an unstoppable 30-yard drive which swerved devilishly reinforced belief at Rashid Stadium.

    This affords boss Cosmin Olaroiu the opportunity to concentrate on drilling his defence, safe in the knowledge a premium of opportunities are now required at the other end. Ahmed Khalil was the hero of the group stage and round of 16 against the Boss, though he simply is not as reliable in front of goal.

    Ahli’s hunt for an elite addition up top was circuitous. Miniscule Bani Yas striker Carlos Munoz proved ill-suited and was quickly mothballed after his October 2014 purchase from Bani Yas, a last-minute hitch prevented a February move for Newcastle United’s Papiss Cisse while Luiz Adriano’s snub in favour of AC Milan in July could have been terminally damaging.

    Lima was snapped up on deadline day for the remaining stages of the 2015 ACL, prior enquiries for Galatasaray’s Burak Yilmaz and Swansea City’s Bafetimbi Gomis coming to naught. Through fortune alone, they ended up with Lima. This could prove the greatest twist of fate in Red Knights history.

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