AFC Champions League Elite
Midfielder Tadic put in a stellar performance with Lucas Pimenta netting a stoppage-time strike to seal a memorable victory over the reigning Saudi Arabian champions.
#ACLElite | Al Wahda FC (UAE) 2-1 Al Ittihad Club (KSA)
“The most important thing is that we’re very happy with this victory,” said Tadic. “I think what the coach said was very important: we showed great spirit and great character. We never stopped.
“The only thing is that we missed too many chances which put a lot of stress on the team. It was a situation similar to the domestic game against Kalba. We created a lot of opportunities and we need to develop that winning mentality to finish games earlier, not at the last minute.
“But at the same time, it’s also good, because once again we showed great spirit and character. We never give up and that’s a great quality. Now we just need to keep going. This win will give us extra energy and we’ll continue to take it game by game.”
Head coach Jose Morais praised his side’s composure in a tight contest.
“It was a tough, balanced match with quality on both sides. In the key moments we found the small details that made the difference and allowed us to score,” said Morais. “This is a happy moment and we dedicate it to our fans, to the people and city of Abu Dhabi and to everyone who believes in us.
Al Ittihad head coach Laurent Blanc pointed to fatigue, a red card and missing stars as key factors for the defeat.
“There was a drop in performance after we were reduced to 10 men following the red card (for Muhannad Al Shanqiti in the 37th minute). I mainly made changes because, physically, I felt the players had already given everything and had nothing left. Whether it was Houssem Aouar or Steven Bergwijn, they simply couldn’t keep going anymore, they were very tired.
“So I tried to bring on fresh players, physically stronger, who could give us more depth and energy. That was the main reason behind those substitutions. When you have stars like Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté absent, such absences inevitably affect the team.”
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