The Club World Cup came alive on Saturday night when a Hussein El Shahat-inspired Al Ain raced into the semi-finals with a 3-0 dismantling of Esperance de Tunis.
Regular watchers of the Arabian Gulf League-holders would not have been shocked by El Shahat’s brilliance. For the uninitiated, this is what makes the versatile 27-year-old so special.
WHAT MAKES HIM SO GOOD?
El Shahat is, quite simply, a natural.
Play him at right-back, centre midfield, attacking midfield, playmaker or even – as we found at the weekend in coach Zoran Mamic’s surprise 4-4-2 formation – up top, and brilliance will follow.
Tireless work rate is twinned with technical acumen, while stamina earned from his days in defence mean he can keep going all match.
His skills were best exemplified in Al Ain’s sweeping second against the Tunisians.
They stormed up the pitch at pace, with El Shahat racing onto Rayan Yaslam’s pass across the backline. A difficult trap killed the ball, before a cutback befuddled four Esperance defenders and allowed space to decisively curl home.
BUILDING ON AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT
The final day of the 2017/18 winter transfer window was a propitious one for Al Ain.
An Egyptian came in on loan, with little reputation to speak of. Yet, Al Ain’s technical staff had done their homework.
El Shahat’s move up the field from right-back at mid-table Misr Lel Makkasa had seen a sizeable nine goals struck in the early stages of the Egyptian Premier League.
📽️هدف العين الثاني في شباك الترجي من رجل المباراة #حسين_الشحات #الترجي_العين #كأس_العالم_للأندية_2018 🇦🇪🏆@alainfcae @alain @husseinelshahat pic.twitter.com/enYpySMlHP
— FIFA.com - عربي 🏆🇦🇪 (@fifacom_ar) December 16, 2018
The tap would not been turned off in the Garden City. An influential seven goals and nine assists followed in 11 AGL matches, as the title was brought back to Garden City for the first time since 2015/16.
This wasn’t enough to earn a berth in Egypt’s World Cup 2018 squad, after March’s debut. But it gained him a lucrative permanent move to Al Ain and a spot in the club’s affections.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
A hosts of sides from across the Arabian Gulf, plus even Turkey’s Besiktas, chased El Shahat last season.
These suitors have not gone away, especially ones from the moneyed Saudi Professional League.
But only one clubs remains El Shahat’s “dream” – Al Ahly. Esperance’s recent CAF Champions League-win at the Cairo giant’s expense weighed on his mind, prompting an inflammatory ‘3-0’ finger gesture at the death on Saturday.
The two-year deal handed to CWC specialist signing and Mali defensive midfielder Tongo Doumbia points at imminent departure from the Boss’ four-player foreign quota…
