Photo : AFP
In a stunning turn of events, Al Ain has secured their place in the Asian Champions League final for the first time since 2016, clinching a remarkable 5-4 aggregate victory over four-time champions Al Hilal. Despite suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat in the second leg in Riyadh on Tuesday, Al Ain's impressive performance in the first leg proved decisive.
Trailing 4-2 after their historic 34-match winning streak was halted in the previous week's first leg encounter, Al Hilal wasted no time in narrowing the deficit, courtesy of Ruben Neves' early fourth-minute penalty.
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However, Brazilian forward Erik swiftly leveled the tie for Al Ain, leaving the dominant leaders of the Saudi Pro League, Al Hilal, facing an uphill battle in the second half.
The hosts found a glimmer of hope when Salem Al Dawsari netted a rebound less than six minutes into the second half, injecting renewed energy into Al Hilal's pursuit of a comeback.
Despite relentless pressure from Al Hilal, with Brazilian Michael and former Lazio midfielder Sergei Milinkovic-Savic both threatening, Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa put on a stellar display, denying the opposition with six crucial saves, including efforts from Michael and Mohamed Kanno in the dying moments of the game.
Al Ain's journey to the final has been marked by remarkable victories, notably their ousting of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr in the quarterfinals, showcasing their resilience and determination.
With the final whistle approaching, Al Ain valiantly defended their narrow lead through an intense nine minutes of added time, with Eisa producing a heroic save from a Michael header in the 98th minute to seal their progression.
Managed by Hernan Crespo, Al Ain now eagerly anticipates the final showdown, where they will face either Yokohama F-Marinos or Ulsan Hyundai from Korea in May. As they aim for their second triumph in the competition and first since 2003, Al Ain will closely watch the outcome of Yokohama's semifinal clash, with the Japanese club trailing 1-0 on aggregate ahead of their second leg encounter on Wednesday.
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