Al Ain has turned its compass towards the AFC Champions League competition, as it will bring together, next Saturday, an important confrontation with its guest, the Japanese team Yokohama, in the second leg of the final round at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, at a time when Al-Zaeem players are motivated to achieve victory, with the aim of avoiding the “scenario”. “The terrifying” thing that happened last season, when the team reached three finals in local tournaments, but lost them all, and left the season empty-handed.
Al-Zaeem will enter a closed camp during the coming hours in order to keep the players away from public pressure, and to maintain their focus, to play the fateful match in which the team needs to win with at least two clean goals, to ensure that the continental title is crowned for the second time after the 2003 edition, especially since the first leg has ended. The Japanese team won (2-1).
The state of confidence among the team’s fans increased in their team’s ability to achieve the Asian title, after the moral boost that the team received as a result of the victory over Al Wahda in the “Abu Dhabi Classico”, as the nine reserve players that the coach used performed above expectations, and were able to win with two clean goals. This is the same result that the team dreams of achieving in next Saturday’s confrontation.
The coach of the Al Ain team, the Argentine Hernan Crespo, had begun focusing on the second leg of the continental final since his return from the Japanese capital, Tokyo, as he took advantage of the matches against Ittihad Kalba and Al Wahda in the ADNOC Professional League, to prepare for the return match, by giving the main players a rest, giving the reserves a chance, and preparing the injured. .
During the month of April, Al Ain was competing in all the local championships, but it gradually left it out of the President’s Cup, staying away from the race to compete for the league title, and losing the Professional Cup final, which made the Argentine coach prefer to take advantage of the remaining local league matches, to prepare the team. For the Asian final.
It is not yet clear whether the coach will use the services of Togolese international scorer Laba Kodjo in the AFC Champions League final, especially since the player’s levels have declined since his injury, and his participation in the matches between Ittihad Kalba and Al-Wahda was below expectations, in addition to the “fake striker” method. “What the coach relies on is still bearing fruit and achieving what is desired.
For his part, Al Ain coach Hernan Crespo confirmed that the 2-0 victory away from home over Al Wahda in the Abu Dhabi Clasico was an important victory for them before the AFC Champions League final.
He said in the press conference after the end of the match: “Winning in football is very important, and an important and historic match awaits us now, and we look forward to writing new lines in the record of achievements of this great club.”
The coach expressed his happiness with the performance of the reserves, and said: “The strong appearance in such matches by the players, most of whom are under 21 years of age, and their keenness to show character and courage in the necessary manner, is a good thing, and the reality confirms that at this time we need everyone’s efforts.”
The fact that 2000 tickets were given to the Yokohama team
Ainawi’s source commented on what was circulating on social media about fans of the Japanese team Yokohama being given 2,000 tickets in the stands of Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, to support their team in the AFC Champions League final against Al Ain next Saturday.
The source explained to “Emirates Today” that coordination was made with the Japanese club’s management early, and it was given its share of the tickets, and that Al Ain Club adheres to the AFC regulations regarding the percentage of tickets.
The source stated that the number of seats granted is much less than the number that was circulated during the past days, and that the Ainaoui administration is fully aware of the right of its fans to support the team from inside the stadium.
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