Ceaseless Al Ain run Esperance off the pitch and into Club World Cup semis

South America heavyweights River Plate now follow on Tuesday. As for their vanquished opponents, an unwelcome fifth-place showdown with Mexico’s Guadalajara beckons.

GOOD

Setting a platform that others wasted – Little came off for shellshocked Esperance in the Garden City.

The frustration for the Tunisian powerhouse will come from the fact that a platform was set for them by the performances of pivoting midfielders Fousseny Coulibaly and Franck Kom.

It was not their fault that celebrated attackers such as Youcef Belaili and Anice Badri could barely string a move together.

A new Pharaoh emerges: There were heroes all across the pitch for Al Ain as they saved their best performance of an often-stuttering season for the Club World Cup’s quarter-finals.

Stand-in centre-back Mohammed Fayez defied expectations, specialist signing Tongo Doumbia blew off more rung rust, returning UAE playmaker Rayan Yaslam came up with two assists and roaming UAE right-back Al Ahbabi would not stop running.

But they were all cast into the shade by the wonderful El Shahat. His ceaseless drive was on show within the first minute, when he popped up to hit the woodwork.

The Egypt international’s wonderful skill set then witnessed control at pace, a beguiling check-back and calibrated curl for the second.

El Shahat’s mid-season arrival was pivotal to Arabian Gulf League and President’s Cup success, plus he keeps showing that life exists beyond departed favourite son Omar Abdulrahman.

For the second-successive edition, the UAE have delivered deserving last-four entrants.

BAD

Where do you start?: Few observers expected Esperance to win a ticket to the UAE when they came up against Cairo kings Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League decider, even more so when the first leg produced a 3-1 loss.

But Moine Chaabani’s men – just like in the controversial semi-finals – defied expectations to prevail. But in the Garden City, they were largely hopeless.

Their defensive line was doglegged, attackers regularly wasted strong positions and lone striker Taha Yassine Khenissi was so isolated he needed to send out an S.O.S. message for help.

Aerial worries: Copa Libertadores winners River Plate now await the Boss.

A scout with only a rudimentary eye would have seen that Al Ain can be unsettled in the air. Coulibaly, in both halves, should have done much better from set-pieces, while Khenissi’s sole moment in the spotlight saw a header hit the post. Lucas Pratto – belated Libertadores-decider aside – has been starved of goals.

The sometime Argentina centre forward should fancy his chances on Tuesday.

KEY MOMENTS

1^st min CHANCE: Caio digs out a cross that partner El Shahat meets with his head. His effort deflects, agonisingly, onto the post off visiting skipper Khalil Chemmam.

2^nd min GOAL: Al Ain’s tactic to crowd Tunisia goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifa pays off in style as Mohamed Ahmed beats him to a Yaslam corner, flicking in to cause an eruption at a buoyant Hazza.

16^th min GOAL: What. A. Goal. Japan defender Tsukasa Shiotani wins the ball on the edge of Al Ain’s penalty box and within 10 seconds the ball is nestling in the net. At the end of a rapier counter, El Shahat’s check-back wrong-footed four Esperance defenders, prior to his beautiful curled shot.

24th min CHANCE: Khenissi heads onto the woodwork as UAE stalwart Ismail Ahmed lays prone.

60^th min GOAL: Caio’s expert manipulation of the ball in tight spaces allows him to cross to Al Ahbabi, who converts into an open goal. Cue more bedlam.

TACTICAL TALKING POINT

No ice Bergs

Sweden centre forward Berg’s continued issues with a fever meant a change of shape, and approach, for the Boss.

A switch to an unfamiliar 4-4-2 formation thrust nominal wingers El Shahat and Caio into equally unfamiliar positions up top.

For all the predatory brilliance of their Sweden No9, his fine leveller against Team Wellington made it 14 goals in 12 matches this term, his statuesque presence can slow down play.

Against Esperance, the Boss raced across the Hazza turf at lightning pace. The Tunisians dominated possession (59/41 per cent) and attempts (18/12), but this fell perfectly for Al Ain’s opportunistic gameplan.

They countered at lightning pace and pressed, without mercy, from the front. This unsettled opponents who, surely, expected a more-sedate run-out.

A pair of effervescent false 9s created the correct solution for coach Zoran Mamic.

VERDICTS

Esperance – D: Esperance will want to erase this debacle from their minds, swiftly as possible. But the frustration caused from this limp display will live long in the memory. A dead rubber against Guadalajara is nothing to look forward to.

Al Ain – A: The UAE’s most-decorated club delivered one of the greatest displays of their existence – quite a way to mark a 50^th anniversary. El Shahat was peerless and Al Ahbabi an exemplar of why they won. Repeat this physical feat against River Plate, and you never know…