Sport360° view: Al Ain look good to end UAE's awful CL record

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  • Exciting times: Al Ain could make history if they keep progressing the AFC Champions League.

    Months of toil, sweat and dedication have led up to this point. From the mom-ent the unstoppable Asamoah Gyan swept Al Jazira away in the AFC Champions League round of 16, Al Ain knew they were set for a date with destiny in August.

    The magnificent Hazza bin Zayed Stadium provides a fitting setting for tonight’s quarter-final first leg meeting with Saudi Arabians Al Ittihad. Every hard yard ran during the early return to pre-season will seem worthwhile once the home team heads out into the neon purple stadium.

    The UAE have long been underachievers in the competition. As the national team has soared up the FIFA rankings, impressed the world at the 2012 London Olympics and claimed the 2013 Gulf Cup, the Arabian Gulf League competitors have barely made a dent in Asia’s elite club tournament since Al Wahda were semi-finalists seven long years ago. 

    That record is to be soon consigned to the past, according to coach Zlatko Dalic. The Croatian has lifted Al Ain from the lows of their wretched AGL title defence since being appointed in March, his collegiate approach bringing the best out of a once fractious bunch. May’s President’s Cup final success against Al Ahli was just reward for the upswing in form. 

    The revival has continued in the summer, with the club’s hierarchy adding pace and energy to the mix during an adroit transfer campaign. Experienced pair Mirel Radoi and Alex Brosque were sacrificed. In their place comes South Korea tyro Lee Myung-Joo, Slovakia trickster Miroslav Stoch, emerging UAE star Mohammed Fawzi and the promising Rashed Essa.

    The smartest bit of business appears to have been the decision to recall forward Jires Kembo Ekoko from a loan spell with 
    Qatari’s El Jaish. With rapid acceleration and guile in abundance, the former France youth international has been a regular scorer during training camps in Italy and Austria.

    All the new additions share youth, speed and a hunger to carry on the Boss’ long history of success. For dreams of a repeat of 2003’s AFC win to become real, however, a stern test will have to be passed.

    Ittihad went unbeaten in the club’s two group stage meetings, ruining Dalic’s Boss debut with a 2-1 defeat and drawing 1-1 at the Hazza bin Zayed. The Jeddah-based outfit only stumbled to seventh place in last season’s Saudi Professional League but have refocused during the summer break.

    Striker Didier Ya Konan provi-ded a regular threat in the Bundesliga, Queens Park Rangers loanee Samba Diakite has already scored for the club in competitive action, Marquinho comes from Serie A runners-up Roma and defender Mohammad Al Dumeiri has excelled for Jordan.

    An inspirational move has also seen legendary midfielder Mohammed Noor brought back in. And with two-times AFC champions Ittihad having already chalked up two league wins, they may also be the more match sharp with the AGL kick off still nearly a month away.

    But Al Ain have the quality and organisation to make the last four for the first time since 2006 – especially with the whole of UAE football behind them.

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