Al Ahli go down fighting in AFCCL final

Coach Cosmin Olaroiu wandered back to his bench as the whistle was blown, his players almost to a man collapsing to their feet in devastation at the riotous Tianhe Stadium.

In truth, Ahli had been marginally edged over 180 minutes by a side bossed by a 2002 World Cup winner in Luiz Felipe Scolari and whose hero Elkeson scored a sumptuous winner fit to decide any contest. This will provide solace in the distant future, which looks glorious again after the domestic lows of 2014-15.

The shame was only centre-back Salmeen Khamis’, a furious reaction to his 67th-minute red card for a stamp threatening to spill over.

FULL TIME! @GZEvergrandeFC 1-0 @AlAhliClub #ACL2015 #ACLFinal pic.twitter.com/1kytZrDb7x

— AFC Champions League (@TheAFCCL) November 21, 2015

Much of this was a nervous watch for the 750-strong travelling contingent of ‘Ahlawi’ supporters, crammed into a small section behind the goal in the vast and noisy second-leg venue as their club attempted to join 2003 victors Al Ain as continental champions.

Passes went astray with abandon, centre midfielder Habib Fardan and right-back Abdulaziz Sanqour the most-frequent perpetrators.

The lack of concentration and belief which crippled the Red Knights during the goalless opener in Dubai was most apparent when Khamis was saved from an embarrassing mishap, striker Elkeson slipping when racing onto a chronically-under-hit back-pass on three minutes.

Ahli had their Ahmed Dida to thank soon after, 2015 ACL top scorer Ricardo Goulart in the thick of the action despite serious fitness doubts from an ankle knock in the first leg.

Elkeson burst into the penalty area on the left, a composed cross picking out his advancing Brazilian compatriot whose low effort from 10 yards was pushed back onto him by the UAE shot stopper for a goal-kick.

An eight-match unbeaten run from Ahli in the competition in which they had never advanced from the group stages in five previous attempts was already seeming at serious risk.

Guangzhou has turned it on for the #ACLFinal! Check this AMAZING photo of Tianhe Stadium! What a sight!! #ACL2015 pic.twitter.com/1OoIZG6IrL

— AFC Champions League (@TheAFCCL) November 21, 2015

But buoyed on by encouraging coach Cosmin Olaroiu, summer signing Lima came close to a 15th goal for his new club. An awful corner routine from the hosts saw the excellent Everton Ribeiro drive forward for 40 yards, slipping in the striker who steadied himself before pinging an effort at China No1 Zeng Cheng.

The safety of the dressing room provided a chance to regroup. The double value of an away goal after the scoreless first leg at Rashid Stadium should have given confidence against opponents who had drawn eight of their last 12 games at home in all competitions.

But the same sloppiness reappeared. A poor give away from Fardan in the middle ended up with a fantastic opener being scored by Elkeson on 54 minutes.

After the ball was eventually played to him by outstanding winger Zheng Long following Fardan’s giveaway, he stated his class to bring the fevered Tianhe faithful to their feet.

A wonderful flick saw him nutmeg Khamis with his back to goal, swivelling at speed to poke into the bottom right corner.

Ahli were rattled, Khamis shamefully losing his control on 67 minutes to kill hope. The hot-headed 24-year-old first steamed into the back of Zheng, landing on his felled opponent with his feet.

Scenes the players and coaching staff will never forget! The moment they won the #ACLFinal! #ACL2015@GZEvergrandeFC pic.twitter.com/wezyj0HVQL

— AFC Champions League (@TheAFCCL) November 21, 2015

Accidental or not, the action was reckless and dangerous. Worse was to follow, violently venting his frustration at referee Ravshan Irmatov for more than a minute as he was held back from doing something truly regrettable by four members of the backroom staff and substitute goalkeeper Majed Nasser – a man who knows all about such blow-ups.

Full-back Abdulaziz Haikal’s loss of composure caused a dismissal too late to prove damaging. This was not the case in China.

In typical fashion, coach ‘Big Phil’ Scolari attempted to throw a blanket over the match. This almost crucially slipped on 78 minutes, Lima charging clear only for South Korea centre-back Kim Young-gwon to prove the value of his return from suspension by closing the yards to block.

No more opportunities appeared for Ahli’s 10 men, Elkeson even blazing over at the death. Referee Irmatov soon brought an end to the second leg and Ahli’s incredible 2015 campaign, their victorious and worthy opponents left to lift a second ACL trophy.