(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Boss now travel to Jeddah in AFC Champions away tie Al Ain’s Omar Abdulrahman dribbles past Al Ittihad’s Jamal Bajandouh. — AFP
Al Ain coach Zlatko Dalic has urged his team to go easy on the euphoria and focus on the next game. Al Ain defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad for the first time in five attempts in the AFC Champions League at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on Tuesday night.
The 2-0 win meant Al Ain inched a step closer to a semi-final spot in Asia’s premier club competition. Al Ain travel to Jeddah for the return leg of the quarter-final next Tuesday.
“We got a good result but it is not over yet. We will forget this game and start preparing for the return leg. I expect that to be a really hard game” Dalic said after the game.
About the first leg at home Dalic said: “We played well especially in the second half. At half-time we changed our style of play. I told my players to pass a lot more and keep possession. We are a better team when we keep the ball. I’m not happy a bit because towards the last 20 minutes we were not too serious. But I can understand because it was our first competitive game. But I’m happy with the result because it is the quarter-final of the Champions League.”
This was Al Ain’s first competitive game of the season and the Croatian was pleased with what he saw. “Our first game was a big game. So it is a big plus for me and my team. We showed good play good energy and good style. But it is not enough. We need to do more. We will reach that level but we need time. We signed new players so that we can improve our play on the flanks. We need fast players. Tonight Kembo and Stoch they were not in their best form. I expect more I expect best because we have the return leg as well as the Super Cup at the beginning of the season. But I have a great team and great players. They will try and do their best with me” he said.
Al Ain’s new signings Miroslav Stoch and Lee Myung-Hoo were making their UAE debut and Dalic was happy with their showing and felt that they could do more if given more time. Stoch is on loan from Turkish club Fenerbahce while Lee joined from Pohang Steelers.
Jires Kembo-Ekoko was also returning after a loan spell with Qatar’s El Jaish. Ekoko and Al Ittihad’s Mohammed Qasem Al Nakhli accidently clashed heads during a challenge and the former was substituted later.
“Tonight was the first time Stoch and Lee played. It is not easy for them. Kembo is our older player and he got injured during the game. He had a headache and he had to go to hospital. I’m happy with the two players but they need time. They need to adapt to our style and our team. I’m happy with them but they must get better” felt Dalic.
And he praised his star playmaker Omar Abdulrahman who came up with a brilliant assist for Al Ain’s second goal scored by Gyan. Omar chipped a measured pass for Gyan who controlled it before volleying it home.
“You know everybody knows what Omar can do. He is a big player and he comes up with a big performance every time. Sometime maybe too many touches but he is a star. He is a player who can make everything special. That was amazing pass for Gyan. Only two or three players in the world can create a pass like this. It was perfect. He is our best player” Dalic said.
About the return leg Dalic said that they have to prepare well and close down the flanks like they did tonight. “Al Ittihad are a big team. They are good at counter attack and have very fast players. We have to prepare well and close down the flanks. It will not be easy in Jeddah. We respect them. They have some young players” he said.
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