Asia Angle: Why Al Ahli’s rivals should get behind them

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  • On Sunday, Al Ahli defeated Al Wahda 3-1. It was a nice victory to be sure, but not comparable to the triumph over Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia five days earlier in the hugely dramatic semi-final of the Asian Champions League

    What a night! Some say that getting to the final is a better feeling that playing the final itself. And it will be hard for Al Ahli to top how they felt in the 94th minute of the second leg, when Kwon Kyong-won shot through crowded penalty area to send this corner of Dubai into raptures.

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    It does not get more dramatic, especially when you think that the South Korean’s last-minute own goal earlier in the season had cost his club the President’s Cup.

    That seems trivial now. Now it is about continental glory and a titanic tussle with Guangzhou Evergrande, the biggest team in Asia who are going for a second continental title in three years with Brazilian stars and a World Cup-winning coach in Luiz Felipe Scolari. Al Ahli are the underdogs but not as much as some may think. A win is possible and would be quite something. It would give a major boost to the team, the Arabian Gulf League, and football in the UAE.

    That is something that Al Wahda would do well to remember.

    Ahli had wanted their AGL game to be put back 24 hours after the energy-sapping victory over Al Hilal. The request was refused and Red Knights boss Cosmin Olaroiu was not happy. 

    “I’m more and more disappointed about what we see and how they treat us,” the Romanian said. “Sometimes everyone says they’re with you, everyone supports you, but it’s only just in the media, because when you need help nobody helps you.

    “The most important is to recover physically. The players made a great effort against Hilal, they ran much more than in all the games in the local competitions and the most important thing for me in this moment is that they recover physically.”

    Success brings such problems. The fixture pile-up is an issue that clubs all over the world have to deal with. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United and others have found that if they keep winning then more big games keep coming.

    The whole of UAE football benefits from Al Ahli getting to the final of the Asian Champions League and will benefit further from the club winning.

    It is just something that has to be dealt with. A helping hand can be welcome though. On the face of it, playing again five days after the semi-final, physically and emotionally draining as it must have been, doesn’t seem too much of a hardship – but Al Wahda should have offered some assistance. When they reach the final of the biggest club game in Asia, they can receive similar treatment.

    The AGL should have stepped in and at least the league recognises this and has re-scheduled two Al Ahli fixtures around the two legs of the Asian Champions League final.

    It happens in other leagues. Even in the group stages, South Korea’s K-League will try, as much as possible, to allow their representatives to play on a Friday evening, especially if they are going overseas.

    The Chinese Super League season finishes on October 31, the fact that the final of the competition is on November 7 and 21, was not the sole reason for the timing but it was considered.

    Ahead of their two-legged quarter-final with Guangzhou, Kashiwa Reysol played J-League games on Thursday and then Friday. What Matsumoto Yamaga and Urawa Reds made of the shift was not important. It was done by the league for the good of the league.

    The whole of UAE football benefits from Al Ahli getting to the final of the Asian Champions League and will benefit further from the club winning. It is in the interests of all clubs that the Red Knights are successful. It improves the image and standing of football in the country and the league in general. And then there is the fact that the club would head to Japan in December to represent the world’s biggest continent at the FIFA Club World Cup.

    If other Emirati clubs are jealous, then so much the better as there are few better motivators than the green-eyed monster. But even through the envy, it should be clear that Al Ahli need to be helped – after all the season is still young and there is plenty of time for fixtures to be completed later. And if the clubs can’t see that, then it is up to the league to do some educating.

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