Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Al Ain: Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates secured top spot in Group C in the AFC Champions League following a 1-1 draw with runners-up and fellow former winners Al Ittihad on Tuesday.
Mansour Sharahili’s 22nd minute own goal had handed Al Ain the lead midway through the first half at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium with the inaugural AFC Champions League winners only needing to avoid defeat to hold onto first place.
And despite Abdulrahman Al Ghamdi’s first half penalty levelling the contest for two-time winners Al Ittihad from Saudi Arabia, Al Ain will now enjoy home advantage in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie with the runner-up from Group A next month.
Al Ittihad, meanwhile, will entertain the winner from Group A in the first leg of their tie on 6 May with the 2005 and 2004 champions also already assured of progress ahead of the final round of group stage fixtures.
With Al Ain beginning the contest with a two-point advantage over Al Ittihad, the home side twice went close to taking the lead inside the first five minutes as Alex Brosque was first denied Al Ittihad goalkeeper Fawaz Al Qarni before Mohammed Faouzi headed Asamoah Gyan’s header from the resulting corner off the line.
Brosque was forced off with an injury after 20 minutes, but that did not stop Al Ain and the home side took the lead two minutes later as Sharahili headed Omar Abdulrahman’s corner through the legs of his own goalkeeper from point blank range.
Gyan then headed straight at Al Qarni before the Ghanaian saw a scuffed effort saved by the visiting goalkeeper as Al Ain’s dominance continued towards half-time.
But nine minutes before the break Al Ittihad were back on level terms as Al Ghamdi converted from the penalty spot after being upended by a lunging tackle from Abdulrahman just inside the area as the striker was about to shoot.
Both sides struggled for dominance at the start of the second half with Al Ittihad goalscorer Al Ghamdi finally guiding an effort just wide of the upright just after the hour mark.
Al Ain then went close to reclaiming the lead twice in quick succession as Abdulrahman first flashed an effort just wide with 15 minutes remaining before the midfielder sent Gyan clear of the Al Ittihad defence only for the Ghanaian’s shot to clip the inside of Al Qarni’s leg and bounce to safety a minute later.