Soccer (Football)
Al Ain FC Has Just Made UAE Footballing History
Win, lose or draw Saturday’s showpiece at Zayed Sports City against either the mighty Real Madrid or Japanese side Kashima Antlers, Al Ain FC have scripted UAE football’s greatest moment.
It was in 1990 that the UAE qualified for its first ever World Cup Finals, a sizeable achievement for a country still in its embryonic stage both on and off the football field.
Thirteen years later, and the country’s most storied side, Al Ain FC, did their bit to put the country on the international stage as the late, great Bruno Metsu led them to continental success in the Asian Champions League. Gulf Cup success for the nation soon followed, first on home soil in 2007, again under the guidance of the brilliant Metsu, before the Golden Generation, led by the enigmatic Omar Abdulrahman, won it again in 2013.
Those achievements, while each remarkable in their own right, were arguably outdone on an incredible night at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium this week as Al Ain FC wrote the finest chapter yet in UAE’s footballing history.
Up against South American champions River Plate in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup, The Boss produced a stirring performance to prevail 5-4 on penalties following a breathless 2-2 draw in normal time.
Keeper Khaled Essa was the hero, etching his name into Al Ain folklore, as he saved Enzo Perez’s fifth and final spot kick to send a vocal home support into raptures. For River’s disciples hardy enough to make the costly and arduous trek from Argentina to the Garden City, their search for global supremacy ended in vain.
Al Ain fans cheering The Boss
© Actionprgroup for FIFA Club World Cup
HEADING INTO THE FINALS
Win, lose or draw Saturday’s showpiece at Zayed Sports City against either the mighty Real Madrid or Japanese side Kashima Antlers, Al Ain FC have scripted UAE football’s greatest moment. It’s not an exaggeration to say this is one of football’s biggest shocks in recent memory.
Victors over Team Wellington on penalties in Wednesday’s play-off before a resounding 3-0 success over Africa’s finest, Esperance de Tunis in the quarters, Al Ain’s tournament was expected to end here. Respect had been earned. Pride reinforced. After all, there was to be no disgrace losing to a side that just 10 days previously had climbed their own Everest by beating a side they love to loath, Boca Juniors, to win the Copa Libertadores.
Zoran Mamic’s men had grander designs though. Inspired perhaps by Al Jazira’s valiant display against Real Madrid at the same stage 12 months ago which saw them take an early lead before eventually falling to a 2-1 defeat, Al Ain came out of the traps quickly.
So quickly in fact, that many fans hadn’t yet taken their seat when Marcus Berg headed his side in front from Ahmad Barman’s corner with just three minutes on the clock.
Their lead was short-lived however, as Santos Borre restored parity eight minutes later before he soon added a second following great wing play by Gonzalo Martinez.
Two-one River Plate, and the game was only a little over a quarter of an hour old.
Unsurprisingly the frenetic pace of the opening exchanges relented, but Al Ain refused to be cowered, and they got their just rewards six minutes into the second half as Caio leveled things up.
There was to be more drama with 20 minutes remaining as River were awarded a penalty only for Martinez to squander the chance as he saw his effort hit the crossbar.
And the Argentines were made to pay the ultimate penalty as they again proved fallible from 12 yards in the shootout. Not that anyone dressed in purple or white cared.
They’ll be back on Saturday to do it all over again. The script may yet have one last chapter after all.
For more on the tournament, check outour guide to the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018.