Red Knights come from behind to clinch a draw in AFCCL opener

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  • Al Ahli players celebrate Ismail Al Hammadi's goal during their Group D draw against Al Ahli Jeddah at Rashid Stadium.

    Al Ahli defied a comical display from goalkeeper Majed Nasser to open their 2015 AFC Champions League campaign with an uplifting 3-3 draw against Al Ahli Jeddah.

    The shotstopper – ironclad during the UAE’s run to third at January’s Asian Cup – imploded at Rashid Stadium, bailed out by a match-saving brace from winger Ismail Al Hammadi.

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    His first mistake was embarrassing, the second technical. They defined a Group D meeting in which the Red Knights appeared reinvigorated by a distraction from their domestic travails, coming back from behind three times.

    A group-stage ACL exit was the only blot during coach Cosmin Olaroiu’s incredible debut season. They now look set to battle against a repeat.

    The Romanian coach hoped a new competition would breathe fresh life into his side. If they perform like this for the next few months, a charge up the Arabian Gulf League table cannot be discounted.

    The trick is to harness the determination and ambition used to such positive effect against the Saudi Prrofessional League’s second-placed side when Fujairah travel to Dubai on March 8.

    In a season full of despair for the treble holders, they also showed unforeseen character to draw level for the final occasion soon after skipper Luis Jimenez’s brutal challenge from behind on Al Ahli-old boy Osvaldo saw deserved red.

    The Red Knights got off to the worst-possible start, Nasser creating a moment in the second minute already being shared with relish on social media.

    The ex-Al Wasl star carried out an air shot on full-back Abdelaziz Haikal’s measured back pass, allowing winger Osvaldo – who was dispatched on loan several times during his stay from 2008 to 2012 – to slide the ball home despite the keeper’s despairing challenge.

    Ahli have sunk from such disappointments before this term, but this time they rose – repeatedly – to fight back.

    A succession of chances ended with Al Hammadi gaining his first, slamming home with a rasping low shot from inside the box. Two penalty shouts were then turned down as the hosts turned the screw.

    Their seemed only one winner from this point, but the defensive demons that have hampered progress appeared again. Midfielder Hussain Al Moqahwi was left completely unmarked, against the run of play, to nod Al Malaki back in front with five minutes left until the break.

    A deficit at the interval would have been crushing. Instead, Jimenez’s cross rebounded off right-back Amir Kurdy into the path of grateful forward Ahmed Khalil to tap in to an open net.

    Christian Gross’ visitors began the second half the brighter, though an error from Nasser was key to their third. Saudi Arabia midfielder Taisir Al-Jassim danced past three piecemeal challenges, his shot from a tight angle that favoured the goalkeeper squirming cringingly in.

    Jimenez’s dismissal appeared to extinguish all hope. A top-flight run of two defeats and a draw to second-bottom Ajman containing no goals not eliciting thought of a revival.

    This countenanced Al Hammadi’s desire. The Whites winger was in the right place to profit from a deflected Khalil shot, firing in off defender Mohamed Abdelshafi to show Al Ahli intend to fight for their ACL dream.

    Rashid Stadium erupted, a fan overcome by the leveller feinting in front of the press box.

    He recovered in time to see the Red Knights close out the game despite their numerical disadvantage. Watching Ahli this term has been testing, by any measure.

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