After capturing a third Arabian Gulf League championship in four years, Al Ain’s focus is now firmly on AFC Champions League glory.
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Zlatko Dalic’s men have already qualified for the knockout stages, the unbeaten Boss simply need to avoid defeat at home tonight against Iran’s Naft Tehran to top Group B.
However, Dalic wants to maintain the momentum gleaned from a 14-match AGL and ACL unbeaten run stretching back over two months and knows defeat at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium against Naft will make their path towards Champions League redemption more arduous.
Match Card • Al Ain Tehran • :19:30 • :Wednesday • :Round 6 (AFC Champions League) • :HBZ Stadium pic.twitter.com/kpHAfxpgkl
— Arabian Gulf League (@AGL_Sports) May 4, 2015
The men from the Garden City reached the semi-finals last year where their final dreams were ravaged by Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in a ruthless 10-minute second half spell in the first leg in Riyadh.
Hilal scored three goals in that period while Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Essa was also sent off, and although they won the return match 2-1 the damage had been done. Dalic says he wants Al Ain to maintain their current good form.
“We don’t need any points for qualification but we will try our best to win the game. We want to keep the momentum going,” said the Croatian.
Miroslav Stoch is the only absentee for the hosts, serving the third of a four-game ban, but Jires Kembo-Ekoko is available after suspension.
Dalic is buoyed by the belief that, the Slovakian string-puller aside, he has a fully-fit squad to choose from for the first time this season.
“I want them to play well and continue winning. We have to keep improving in the Champions League. We are definitely enjoying our time playing good football,” he said.
The two played out a 1-1 draw when they first clashed in March. Naft coach Alireza Mansourian said: “We realise that it will be tough to beat Al Ain at home with the speed of their forward line, but we will do everything in our powers to win here.”
