Ahdaaf » Competitions

خاص وحصري: الإتحاد السعودي يسعى لإعارة لاعبي الأخضر لفرق أوروبية

Wael Jabir — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 08:31:39 +0000

كشفت مصادر مقربة من الإتحاد السعودي لكرة القدم حصرياً لموقع أهداف أن الاتفاقية التي وقعها معالي تركي آل الشيخ مع رابطة الدوري الإسباني الأسبوع المنصرم هي الخطوة الأولى في مشروع يهدف لإعارة لاعبي المنتخب السعودي الأول لأندية أوروبية خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة تحضيراً لخوض نهائيات كأس العالم 2018 والتي تأهل لها الأخضر لأول مرة منذ 12 عاماً.

وكان آل الشيخ رفقة الاستاذ عادل عزت رئيس الإتحاد السعودي لكرة القدم قد وقعا إتفاقاً مع رابطة الدوري الإسباني تنص أحد بنوده على تسريع عملية نقل اللاعبين السعوديين إلى أندية الدوري الأسباني (لا ليجا) إبتداء من يناير المقبل. وفي إطار هذه الإتفاقية، سيحضر كشافون من عدة أندية إسبانية إلى المملكة لحضور بعض مباريات الدوري السعودي و مشاهدة اللاعبين المرشحين للإنضمام لأنديتهم عن كثب.

وقد علمت مصادرنا أن قائمة تضم اللاعبين المرشحين للإعارة قد تم تحضيرها و أن المفاوضات مع عدد من الأندية و روابط الدوريات الأوروبية بهذا الخصوص قد انطلقت منذ شهر سبتمبر. و تحدثت بعض التقارير عن أن لاعب الإتحاد فهد المولد هو أول اللاعبين الذين تم الإتفاق على إعارتهم لأحد الأندية الإسبانية.

في ذات السياق، تواجد كشافون من نادي تورينو الإيطالي في ملعب مدينة الملك عبد الله بجدة لمشاهدة مدافع الأهلي معتز هوساوي في لقاء الديربي الذي انتهى بفوز فريقه على غريمه الإتحاد بثلاثة أهداف نظيفة مساء أمس.

آل الشيخ أثناء توقيع الاتفاقية مع ممثل لا ليجا ادولفو بارا

ومن الجدير بالذكر أن الإتحاد السعودي و هيئة الرياضة يسعيان إلى إعارة اللاعبين إلى فرق الوسط في الدوري الإسباني والإيطالي، بينما أبديا -وفقاً لمصادرنا- استعداداً للتفاوض مع أندية أوروبية أخرى.

ومن المتوقع أن يتواجد عدد من كشافي الأندية الأوروبية في مدينية ليريا البرتغالية لحضور لقاء الأخضر الودي ضد البرتغال في العاشر من نوفمبر لتقييم بعض اللاعبين.

تعتبر هذه الخطوة مشروعاً جديداً تقوده الهيئة العامة الرياضة والتي أحدثت تغييرات جذرية على كرة القدم السعودية منذ تولي معالي تركي آل الشيخ رئاستها، شملت هذها لتغييرات إنشاء لجنة لاستكشاف المواهب بالإضافة للإستعانة بخدمات مواليد المملكة بقيادة لاعب نادي تشيلسي الانجليزي السابق مختار علي الذي تم ضمه للمنتخب السعودي مؤخراً.

The Gulf crisis, Fossati’s resignation and the naturalisation conundrum

Ahmed Hashim — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 20:49:18 +0000

At the final whistle, there was elation and relief all around. Each player expressed it in different ways – Akram Afif, who had been taken off after an impressive show, sprinted from the substitutes bench and jumped onto his teammates. Rodrigo Tabata gestured to his ‘Sheikh Tamim’ t-shirt while Pedro kissed his badge. As for Abdelkarim Hassan, he simply burst into tears. Man of the match Hassan Al-Haydos said those were ‘tears of happiness.’

Qatar’s 3-2 win over South Korea on Tuesday night was a massive result for many reasons. For one thing, it was a big step up from what had been a series of dismal performances throughout the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign. Even though there was a feeling of too-little-too-late, the result kept alive Qatar’s faint hopes of finishing in the third place playoff spot.

However, none of that seemed to matter for the team or the fans. The match was an emotionally charged affair for a completely different reason. The ongoing crisis in the Gulf, between Qatar and its neighbours, meant that the match would always be played under its shadow. One week on since the crisis broke, there was no bigger issue on people’s minds. This was why the players had worn t-shirts with the Emir’s face on it during pre-match warmup. This was also why Afif and Al-Haydos celebrated their goals with salutes. It was a show of loyalty and love for the nation at a time when the nation seemed to need it the most.

And then, all of a sudden, came the news that Qatar’s coach Jorge Fossati had resigned.

At the post-match press conference, the Uruguayan coach expressed his decision to quit, leading to reactions of shock and surprise from all quarters.

What the hell? https://t.co/oIupj5xoZS

— SandalsForGoalposts (@Sandal4Goalpost) June 13, 2017

The reaction from our friends at SandalsForGoalposts was not very different from that of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani. In an official statement put out on Twitter, he said that he was “taken by surprise by Fossati’s decision” and that Qatar U23 coach Felix Sanchez would succeed him if the QFA failed to convince Fossati to stay on.

That brought up the question – was this really a surprise? In the past, the resignation (or more often than not, sacking!) of the national team manager would be followed a period of uncertainty before the QFA finally named the successor. In this case, however, the name of the successor was ready within hours.

What is even more interesting is that Fossati’s resignation had been mooted in the local media weeks before the match against South Korea. If those reports were true, then Fossati had already informed QFA of his decision well in advance, giving them time to decide on his replacement. The names of Sanchez, former Qatar boss Djamel Belmadi and also Al-Sadd’s 70-year old manager Jesualdo Ferreira had done the rounds.

Back when those reports first appeared, it was relatively less surprising because very few people actually expected Qatar to win against South Korea. The Maroon campaign had been written off long before that, after the 0-1 home defeat against Iran in March, to be particular. After that match, a video of a young Qatari fan ranting to a BeIN Sports camera against the naturalised players on the team and their apparent “lack of spirit” went viral on the internet. This is a crucial point to be noted – but more on that later.

“I had big expectations for today’s result, really I am very sad,” Fossati had remarked after that game. He should have expected the backlash from fans and the media. If he had resigned then and there, people would have accepted it without thinking twice. After all, Alex Fergusons are rare in the Middle East. A coach’s job is not known for its job security or longevity. Why would this be any different?

Fossati himself had, in fact, threatened to resign less than two months after he taken up the job. After a particularly dispiriting show in a 0-0 draw in China, criticism had rained down on the naturalised players.

Talk on the street back then had been that QFA had lost all hope in its naturalised players getting them to the 2018 World Cup. And so, the authorities were planning on putting an end to it and focusing instead on the development of a homegrown team for the 2022 edition at home.

When talk of this reached Fossati, he rejected the idea flat out.

In an interview with Doha Stadium Plus, he said: “I heard about a plan to exclude naturalised players and bring in more young Qatari players into the national team. It (discouraging naturalisation) is one point I don’t agree at this stage. I believe the rules in football are made by FIFA. In my opinion, all players who’re naturalised after fulfilling the world governing body’s norms should be treated on par with true Qatari players.”

Fossati was outspoken in his support for naturalisation in Qatar. “France became the world champions with many naturalised players. Germany too. They’re big countries. You just look at Qatar’s population. If Spain can naturalise Diego Costa, Qatar can have 30 of them,” he told Doha Stadium Plus.

This was expected from Fossati. He has always been a supporter of naturalisation. Iraqi fans will remember Fossati’s previous stint as Qatar coach in 2008 when he presided over the inclusion of multiple new naturalised players in the Qatar national team. These included Brazilian-born players Emerson (forever known as Emerson Sheik in his home country!) and Fabio Cesar who helped Qatar to a 2-0 defeat over Iraq. The match turned into a controversy when it was proven that Emerson was ineligible. Iraq appealed but even though Emerson was suspended, Qatar were given a reprieve.

This time around, Fossati pointed to the eligibility and desire of all his players to appear for Qatar, as per FIFA rules.

“There isn’t a single player in our team who’s playing out of obligation. They’re there because they want to be there. And all of them are well within FIFA rules. This is the only thing we need to think of,” he added.

And then, he slipped in a comment. A bombshell.

“If the federation wants to go another way, I’ll respect its decision 100 per cent. And it’ll be better for the Qatar national team to have another coach who supports that view.”

This writer had imagined the possibilities of Fossati leaving his post back then in protest at the QFA’s reported plans. However, it turned out that QFA agreed with the Uruguayan’s assertion that Qatar could still qualify for Russia and that naturalised players were key to it.

But that was in November 2016. Then came March 2017 and the two devastating 0-1 defeats to Iran and Uzbekistan, in the space of five days. Qualification was a bygone dream.

This is where the young Qatari’s rant against naturalisation becomes relevant. And this is where the jigsaw puzzle seems to fall into place. The question on many lips was this: Why should the team persist with these naturalised players even now, after all hope is lost? Isn’t it better to play with the U23 team from now on? Yours truly agreed.

I've said this before & I repeat it again, pls @QFA, forget about 2018! Play with the U23 team for the remaining matches.

— Ahmed Hashim (@AhmedH_93) March 24, 2017

What then about Fossati? I must admit I felt sad for him. Here was a man who had done so much for Qatari football, set to leave the national team job (for the second time too) in disappointment.

As far as Fossati himself was concerned, he had decided enough was enough. None of his plans had worked out. The team kept losing focus and making the same mistakes over and over again. Luck too, didn’t seem to be on his side. He watched his men hit the crossbar and fail to score sitters while also conceding soft goals. The refereeing, Fossati claimed, had also contributed in killing off Qatar’s chances of qualification. And so, reports started to emerge that Fossati would resign after the match against South Korea. Cue rumours of his replacements.

However, without any official confirmation, the rumours remained rumours.

When Tuesday, the 13th of June finally came around, the situation had changed in Qatar. Everything else took a backseat as Saudi Arabia and the UAE led a group of Arab nations in cutting all ties with Qatar a week prior to that. Footballing rumours like who would take up the Qatar job were pushed aside as everyone had to deal with rumours of a different kind. Was BeIN Sports taken off air in Saudi Arabia and the UAE? Were Barcelona shirts with the Qatar Airways name banned? Would Qatar lose the rights to host the 2022 World Cup?

Qatar finally looked like a ‘national team’ on Tuesday night, bolstered by what seemed to be their reaction to the blockade on the country

For the players, however, the match was a way of expressing their emotions loud and clear. After a long series of games fraught with a lack of team spirit and desire to win, evoking despair in its fans, Qatar suddenly took on a new robe against South Korea. It seemed that it took a political crisis to finally kick the team into action. Even with an assortment of nationalities in its squad, Qatar finally looked like a team. Fossati (according to local newspaper Estad Al Doha) said:

“The players have shown their commitment to and love for the Qatari team despite their different nationalities.”

In that context, voices in the media and among fans on Twitter have pointed to the blockade on Qatar proving to be a unifier and motivating factor – a blessing in disguise. One tweep even said: “If only the blockade had started at the beginning (of the qualifying campaign), Qatar would have reached Russia!”

And then, amidst all the delight and celebration, Fossati quietly settled into his seat at the post-match presser and reminded everyone of something they had all forgotten – his resignation.

Why he proceeded with his promise, we might never know. He never made his reasons clear, apart from stating unequivocally that his resignation had nothing to do with the political crisis and that everyone knew of his plans weeks before it. He seems to have made up his mind long ago; even this new ray of hope of qualification won’t change it.

Why are we all surprised then? It undoubtedly comes back to the performance and the emotions we saw on Tuesday night. For a moment, a Qatari fan may have looked away from the mathematical permutations and combinations and thought: “Maybe we can do this.” ‘Doing this’ requires them to win both their remaining games against Syria (away) and China (home) while they would need Uzbekistan to lose their matches against South Korea and Iran. Even then, what is at stake is a playoff spot, four matches away from actual qualification to the World Cup.

Yet, everyone was allowed to dream on this particular night. That dream curiously also had Fossati on board, at least to some Qataris and many other neutral non-Qataris, who thought this was the moment to consolidate the ranks and give the Uruguyan free rein for one last push. Fossati’s clear desire to resign now means that QFA need to quickly move on with their contingency plan to replace him with Sanchez.

So who is Felix Sanchez Bas? The Spaniard was a youth team coach at Barcelona before moving to Qatar’s Aspire Academy, where he oversaw the rise of a golden generation of homegrown talents, who won the AFC U19 Championship, finally made a Qatari reappearance at the FIFA U20 World Cup and finished fourth at the AFC U23 Championship. Stepping up at each youth level as coach of these young stars, Sanchez now looks set to take over the senior national team.

The question now if Sanchez takes over is: what will be his strategy? (A) Will he bring over his golden generation? Or (B) will he continue with naturalization?

Before the 13th of June, the overwhelming majority would have answered ‘A’. His wards, all of who were homegrown, have, in the eyes of the public, demonstrated “national spirit” with their exploits. They would have been welcome to replace their seniors without as much as a second thought.

But now? After downing the Koreans, I’m sure that opinions won’t be as straightforward and easy to state. There will be those who will support retaining the naturalised players, just as Fossati had envisaged.

That takes us to the title of this article: how does it all come together? I feel that the Gulf crisis has given the Qatar national team an unexpected fillip, turning the situation around for Fossati and the QFA and raising important questions about the future course of action for the naturalisation strategy. Because the political talk refuses to go away, even Fossati’s decision to resign was linked to it by some. Although he rejected those insinuations, he has to admit that it was the crisis that changed things for Qatar, and possibly, for his job prospects too. As for naturalisation, the ongoing onslaught on Qatar from Saudi media also featured disparaging reports on the QFA’s naturalisation strategy. That is nothing new; it has always been a source of embarrassment. In fact, it was at the height of the embarrassment back in November that QFA reportedly considered scrapping the whole strategy, prompting the aforementioned furious response from Fossati.

Yet, from all the time I have spent following football in Qatar, there is one thing I have noticed about the popular reactions to naturalisation. Locals only get irked when the naturalised players do not perform as well as expected or show a “lack of spirit”. At all other times, most voices have generally found no reason to reject “good” naturalised players. The distinction between the “good” and the “uninspiring” may be very vague but this is how things stand. If this same team had been overachieving, I don’t think that ranting Qatari kid would have become an internet sensation.

Then again, all those questions are only worth discussing IF Fossati does leave. Ahdaaf‘s man on the ground in Qatar, Jilbin Sam George, believes that he can still be tempted into staying, at least until the 2019 Asian Cup. BeIN Sports reported that Fossati made a cryptic comment saying he would be willing to help the national team in any capacity if asked.

“I love Qatar, I want the best for Qatar.”

Estad Al Doha soon reported that Fossati was interested in staying on in Qatar, taking on the managerial job at newly-promoted QSL side Qatar SC while continuing as the national team coach.

Confusing much? To be honest, you can never know anything for sure here. This is Qatar. This is football. Expect the unexpected. One thing is more or less certain. If the QFA does coax Fossati into staying, then the infusion of the golden generation will have to wait. Naturalisation will continue to reign supreme.

2017 AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREVIEW: WEST ASIA

Hamoudi — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 15:07:20 +0000

Group A

Al-Ahli Dubai

Manager profile: The Romanian manager Cosmin Olaroiu is arguably the best manager in West Asia, possessing experience, tactical intelligence and tenacity in his team talks that are unmatched by any other manager in the Middle East. Olaroiu is not unfamiliar with this competition, as he took Al-Ahli to the final in 2016.

Tactical set-up: A 4-2-2-2 formation with narrow, interchanging wingers – amongst them the mobile maestro Everton Ribeiro who pops up in pockets of space around the pitch.

Key players:

Everton Ribeiro: The Brazilian attacking midfielder has talent that is up there with the best in Asian football.
Ahmed Khalil: He may not be a relatively consistent goalscorer, but Khalil’s big game performances are second to none in UAE football.
Majed Hassan: The man who sets the pace for Al-Ahli, organizing the midfield and aiding the attack almost simultaneously.

New arrivals:

Makhete Diop: The bulldozing striker has excelled in the UAE League for years, can he now prove himself against the best in Asia?

Current League Position: 3^rd (UAE Arabian Gulf League)

Their story this season: After a rocky start to the 2016/17 season, Al-Ahli have hit their best league form at the perfect time as they head into the 2017 AFC Champions League. They do have one key omission, and that is an Asian player after the departure of Kwon Kyung Kwon in January to China.

What do fans expect? With Emirati clubs dominating West Asia recently, a challenge for a spot in the final is the least of their expectations.

Al-Taawoun

Manager profile: The second Romanian manager in this group, Constantin Galca, will lead Al-Taawoun into their first ever AFC Champions League campaign. Fans have started to come behind him as they enter a crucial period.

Tactical set-up: A 4-2-3-1 set-up which relies on the direct movement of the wingers towards goal to compensate for attacking midfielder Jehad Al-Hussain’s more creative role.

Key players:

Ahmad Al-Zein: Skillful and creative on the wing or in attacking midfield, Al-Zein’s pace also makes him one of the team’s most threatening players.
Ricardo Machado: The central defender is absolutely key to any success Al-Taawoun can have in shutting out the likes of Asamoah Gyan, Makhete Diop and others.
Jehad Al-Hussain: The Syrian veteran boasts experience across West Asia and especially in the AFC Champions League with smaller sides; he was part of Al-Karamah’s fairytale run the ACL 2006 final.

New arrivals:

Lucian Sanmartean: Former Al-Ittihad attacking midfielder comes into the side with quite a bit left in him, although this time he acts as a deep lying playmaker for his new side.
Alassane N’diaye: The left winger finally acquired his permit to play in Saudi Arabia, which is a blessing for Al-Taawoun as he is one of their direct, dangerous threats at the opposition goal.

Current League Position: 6^th (Saudi Pro League)

Their story this season: After a wonderful end to the 2015/16 season, Al-Taawoun didn’t fare greatly with Dario Kalzic and sacked him only four months into the season. Despite Galca’s arrival, Al-Taawoun haven’t managed to hit their stride with 5 losses in their last 10 league games.

What do fans expect? With the departure of Al-Taawoun hero Jose Manuel Gomes at the end of last season, no wonders are expected although a respectable fight for a knockout spot is expected.

Esteghlal

Manager profile: Esteghlal appointed former player Alireza Mansourian as their new manager in the summer. Mansourian already has a pedigree in the ACL, taking Naft Tehran to the quarter final for the first time in their history in 2015, losing to eventual runners up Al-Ahli of UAE.

Key players: Esteghlal have two or three players who are crucial to the way they play. Iran international, Omid Ebrahimi, is the man who keeps their midfield ticking from the centre of the park. Also, centre forward Kaveh Rezaei is a key figure in the team, he scores goals but also creates many chances for his midfielders.

Tactical set-up: Esteghlal predominantly have played with narrow diamond in 4-4-2, a system where the front two and the attacking midfielder have a lot of freedom and have the permission to roam. But they can also play with a 4-3-3 away from home.

New arrivals: One of their key signings has been 24-year-old striker, Kaveh Rezaei. The former Zob Ahan Striker has scored 7 goals this season but contributes a lot more to their attack.

Current League Position: 3rd (Persian Gulf Pro League)

Their story this season: Esteghlal started the season with a lot of expectations but they struggled to live up to the hype around them in pre-season. They failed to win the first 6 games of the season and fell behind in the title race. Since January, their form has picked up extremely well and have now won 5 games on the bounce including a 3-2 victory in Tehran Derby.

What do fans / media expect? Expectations in Asia are always high for the two times continental champions. A failure to qualify from the group stages will be seen as a complete disaster for Esteghlal, and their manager has already stated that this club has to shine in Asia, so they’ll be confident that they can spring a surprise or two and reach the latter stages of the competition.

Group B

Al-Fateh

Manager profile: Tunisian head coach Fathi Al-Jabal is no stranger to Saudi football and was the mastermind behind Al-Fateh’s shock league title win in 2013. Can he do it once again, this time on a continental level?

Tactical set-up: 4-4-2 formation with two defensive-minded central midfielders looking to block the opposition’s dominance of central spaces.

Key players:

Ukra: 5 goals and 4 assists is a modest return but with Al-Fateh’s position in the league this season, left winger Ukra has been a breath of fresh air for the side in attack.
Nathan Junior: Almost ever-present for the side this season, striker Nathan Junior – after Ukra – is Al-Fateh’s next best threat in attack.
Abdulla Al-Owaishir: The Saudi National Team hopeful has struggled this season with a shaky defence in front of him but still remains one of the team’s more talented players.

New arrivals:

Sandro Manoel: Moving from fellow AFC Champions League side Al-Taawoun, Manoel is tasked to shore up the defensive midfield and defence which have conceded more than 1.5 goals per game this season.
Abdulqader Oueslati: Signed from Tunisian side Club Africain on a 6-month deal, Oueslati is expected to hit the ground running and supply Nathan Junior with chances.

Current League Position: 13^th (Saudi Pro League)

Their story this season: Al-Fateh have, inconveniently, endured their worst ever season in the professional era of Saudi football with only 3 wins in 19 games and on the verge of relegation.

What do fans expect? While a run in the AFC Champions League would be great for the club, Fathi Al-Jabal has insisted that concentration not be shifted from the league where they fight relegation.

Al-Jazira

Manager profile: The one and only Henk Ten Cate needs no introduction, he has developed youngsters and created a monstrous Al-Jazira side since his arrival in January 2016.

Tactical set-up: 4-2-3-1 which aims to hurt teams on the counter attack, thanks to the pace on offer by Ali Mabkhout, Ailton Almeida and Khalfan Mubarak.

Key players:

Ali Mabkhout: Also known as Mr. Hat Trick, Mabkhout has been scoring for fun this season. Goals here, goals there, goals everywhere!
Fares Juma: Also known as the UAE’s Sergio Ramos, Fares Juma’s improved performances in defence and strong attacking displays from set pieces have been key to Al-Jazira against well-oiled smaller teams.
Ali Khaseif: Khaseif has been massive for Al-Jazira in 2016/17, saving crucial points for them on many occasions.

New arrivals:

Unfortunately, ACL 2016 winner Leonardo will not be playing for Al-Jazira during the Group Stages therefore he doesn’t count as a new arrival.

Current League Position: 1^st (UAE Arabian Gulf League)

Their story this season: Al-Jazira are all but set to win their 2^nd league title this season after Al-Wasl’s 1-1 draw put them 9 points clear of any other competitor with 7 weeks to go. Defensively sound and monstrous in attack; Al-Jazira have been revitalized under Ten Cate.

What do fans expect? As Al-Jazira are by far the best Emirati team at the current time, qualification from this relatively easy group is a must.

Lekhwiya

Manager profile: Djamel Belmadi is no stranger to Qatari football, managing the national team up until the 2015 Asian Cup before taking over Lekhwiya in mid-2015.

Tactical set-up: Belmadi can alternate between a variety of formations but has largely stuck to a 4-2-3-1 with Nam Tae Hee behind the striker.

Key players:

Nam Tae Hee: One of the foreign jewels of West Asian football, Nam Tae Hee should be in Europe however has been surprisingly present for Lekhwiya ever since 2012 unlike many other foreigners who come and go.
Youssef El-Arabi: El-Arabi returned to the Middle East after his spell with Granada, and his return came with a bang – scoring 21 goals in just 15 league games!
Youssef Msakni: Another player regarded by some as good enough to play in Europe, but has stuck by Lekhwiya ever since 2013 boasting a good scoring record from attacking midfield.

Current League Position: 2^nd (Qatar Stars League)

Their story this season: Lekhwiya are going head to head with Al-Sadd for top spot with both teams just losing once this season, however Al-Sadd have the benefit of no Asian Champions League football which makes their title challenge relatively easier than Lekhwiya’s.

What do fans expect? Qualification for the group in the midst of challenging Al-Sadd and Al-Rayyan for the Qatari League title.

Esteghlal Khuzestan

Manager profile: Following their incredible success last season, manager Abdullah Veisi left the club and his assistant, Sirous Pourmousavi, took over the team. This is his first managerial experience.

Key players:

Hassan BeitSaeed: the attacking midfielder broke onto the scenes last season and has remained one of the most influential players in Esteghlal Khuzestan. Keeping him quiet should be a priority for any team going against the Blues.
Mohammad Tayyebi: the centre back is more than just a defender for his team, he’s a leader for the team and he’s almost irreplaceable. He’s also a huge threat on set pieces with his heading abilities.

Tactical set-up: Pourmousavi has kept a similar shape to last season, playing a 4-4-1-1 or a 4-2-3-1. The only difference is that the team is a lot more creative and threatening on the ball compared to last season where they were mostly a counter attacking team. Having Aloys Nong and Arash Afshin gives him the option of putting two strikers up front if they’re chasing the game.

New arrivals: Cameroonian striker, Aloys Nong, joined the club in January to fill the gap left by Rahim Zohaivi who joined Qatar’s Al-Shahaniya. He’s had an acceptable start to his career in Esteghlal Khuzestan and remains one of their key players in front of goal.

Their story this season: Following their amazing title winning run last season, the team was torn apart since summer. They lost key players such as Rahim Zohaivi and Fernando Jesus as well as their manager Abdollah Veisi. They’ve been relinquishing in mid table so far this season and they’ve been looking forward to representing province of Khuzestan in the ACL.

Current League Position: 8^th (Persian Gulf Pro League)

What do fans expect? There’s not much expected from this team. They have one of the lowest budgets in the league which makes the task even harder for them on the continental stage. But what can be expected is that this team will work extremely hard in every game, they’re a tight-knit bunch and they boast great local support in Ahvaz. Getting out of the group stages can be seen as a huge achievement for a club with such small financial capabilities.

Group C

Al-Ahli Jeddah

Manager profile: Christian Gross returned to Al-Ahli Jeddah during the season after Jose Manuel Gomes was sacked, looking to help the side repeat their successes of last season (league, cup and super cup win) while furthering themselves in Asia.

Tactical set-up: A classic 4-2-3-1 which relies on wing play and getting the ball up to the big man in Omar Al-Somah, but with the addition of Saad Abdul-Amir over the winter the Greens are expected to improve their build-up play from deep.

Key players:

Omar Al-Somah: The one, the only; arguably the best striker in Middle Eastern football. Al-Somah’s been breaking record after record this season but has been suffering from a rough patch lately.
Mohammad Abdelshafy: The creative left-back is key to Al-Ahli’s success on the flanks.

New arrivals:

Saad Abdul-Amir: The Iraqi defensive midfielder is expected to be a fresh addition to what is a relatively average midfield with the ageing Taisir Al-Jassim, injury prone Waleed Bakhshween and inconsistent Mustafa Bassas.

Current League Position: 3^rd (Saudi Pro League)

Their story this season: After a shaky start with Jose Manuel Gomes in charge Al-Ahli re-signed Christian Gross. A period of good form followed in January 2017 but two losses in a row to Al-Qadisiyah and Al-Nassr leave them in 3^rd and a good 7 points behind league leaders Al-Hilal.

What do fans expect? Qualification to the knockout round is a must after last season’s disappointing exit from the group stages, and with the league title now seeming unlikely the ACL is needed to salvage their season.

Al-Ain

Manager profile: New coach Zoran Mamic comes into this competition with high hopes and an interesting project with Al-Ain, the club which he left Al-Nassr (KSA) abruptly for just a few weeks ago.

Tactical set-up: Omar Abdulrahman is, obviously, the focal point of the 4-2-3-1 formation which can often be changed to a 4-1-4-1 depending on the role of Lee Myung Joo in game.

Key players:

Omar Abdulrahman: Does this really need a comment? The Asian Player of the Year is the heartbeat of this side.
Lee Myung Joo: One of the more underrated players in West Asia, Lee’s positional sense, stamina and tactical awareness are key to Al-Ain’s midfield success.

New arrivals:

Nasser Al-Shamrani: Signed from Al-Hilal on loan, Al-Shamrani has only scored 2 penalties in 6 league games since his arrival and has struggled to hit the ground running.

Current League Position: 3^rd (UAE Arabian Gulf League)

Their story this season: After a great start to the season, Al-Ain’s season was demolished mentally due to the tough loss suffered against Jeonbuk in the ACL2016 final. They’ve exited both domestic cups and have lost ground on league leaders Al-Jazira.

What do fans expect? Another appearance in the final, but this time taking the trophy back home for the 2^nd time.

Zob Ahan

Manager profile: Mojtaba Hosseini is another assistant promoted to take the top job. Following the departure of Yahya Golmohammadi earlier this season, Hosseini stepped up to take his first ever managerial job.

Key players:

Mehdi Rajabzadeh: the 38 year old is going strong as ever. Very versatile player who can play anywhere along the front 3, he’ll be involved in almost every offensive move.
Ehsan Pahlevan: one of the finest young players in Iran, Pahlevan is a tricky winger who can unlock a game on his own if needed.

Tactical set-up: Zob Ahan still play with their traditional 4-2-3-1 which they’ve been playing for a couple of seasons. The wingers act as inside forwards and support the sole striker in attack.

Current standing: 4th (Persian Gulf Pro League)

Their story this season: Despite the departure of influential manager Yahya Golmohammadi earlier in the season, Zob Ahan have had a decent season under Mojataba Hosseini. They’re currently fighting for a top 3 finish in the league.

What do fans expect: Zob Ahan has a relatively young team with some talented players, but they are unlikely to reach the latter stages of the competition. Qualification from group stages will be seen as targets reached.

Group D

Persepolis

Manager profile: 62-year-old Croatian manager, Branko Ivankovic, has been in charge of Persepolis for almost two years. He’s a very measured and composed figure and since his arrival he has transformed Persepolis into a powerful force once again as they come into the competition with high expectations.

Key players:

Mehdi Taremi: arguably the best striker currently playing in the Persian Gulf Pro League, he is undoubtedly the danger man in this side. He’s currently the league’s top goalscorer with 11 goals.
Jalal Hosseini: regarded as one of the greatest central defenders Iran has ever produced, the 35-year-old veteran has transformed Persepolis’s defence this season. With his presence, Persepolis have only conceded 9 goals in 22 games in the league.
Kamal Kamyabinia: this defensive midfielder is the unsung hero in the team. He has an incredible engine and breaks up the opposition play with his great tackling skills. Don’t be surprised to see him get a goal from set-pieces as he has done on a few occasions this season.

Tactical set-up: Persepolis play with a 4-2-3-1, with two central midfielders that tend to be Mohsen Mosalman and Kamal Kamyabinia. The arrival of Soroush Rafiei in January means the attacking midfielder can play in the number 10 role and provide support for Mehdi Taremi who will lead the line.

New Arrivals:

Soroush Rafiei: arguably the biggest transfer move in January, the talented attacking midfielder joined Persepolis from title rivals Tractor Sazi.

Current standings: 1st (Persian Gulf Pro League)

Their story this season: Persepolis started the season as the favourites for the league title and they have not disappointed. They have been by far the best team in the past 6 months as they boast a 9-point gap to the 2nd placed team. They look like they have the title in the bag so their attention is firmly on the continental stage.

What do fans/media expect: Many in Iran believe Persepolis can mount a serious challenge for the AFC Champions League, and it’s not hard to see why. Fans certainly will back their team to do well and it will not be a surprise to see the Reds in the latter stages of the competition.

Al-Rayyan

Manager profile: Al-Rayyan’s manager Michael Laudrup needs no introduction, as he continues his time in Qatar with last season’s champions Al-Rayyan.

Tactical set-up: A dynamic 4-3-3 which places great emphasis on the goalscoring threat of the front three in Soria, Tabata and Garcia.

Key players:

Sebastian Soria: The Qatari-Uruguayan veteran is still a key figure of the the attack at club level but his output has drastically lessened; he has just 5 goals this season.
Sergio Garcia: Imported from Spain at the beginning of the previous season and part of the league-winning team of 2016, Garcia has bagged more than 20 goals in 40 appearances for Al-Rayyan since his arrival.
Rodrigo Tabata: One of the best players in Qatar, Tabata has been immense for Al-Rayyan across the last two seasons. He’s scored 13 this year from the wing, making himself the 3^rd top scorer of the Qatari Stars League at the age of 36.

Current League Position: 3^rd (Qatari Stars League)

Their story this season: Al-Rayyan haven’t been as monstrous as they were last season when they tore every single team in their way apart, but they’re still going close and are challenging for the league title albeit from afar with them trailing 6 points behind joint league leaders Al-Sadd and Lekhwiya.

What do fans expect? Al-Rayyan, the “raheeb” (awesome), are back to playing Asian football. An early exit is certainly not what the fans expect, but hopes are high for a deep run.

Al-Hilal

Manager profile: Entering his first stint in Asian football just a few months ago when he signed for Al-Hilal, Ramon Diaz leads Al-Hilal with high hopes coming into the 2017 Asian Champions League.

Tactical set-up: Alternating between a 4-3-2-1 and a 4-3-1-2 since his arrival at the club, Diaz has proven to be very versatile with his tactics but is expected to use the latter with the addition of striker Omar Khribin over the winter break.

Key players:

Carlos Eduardo: He certainly is the most talented player in the squad but whether he’s turned on for the Asian Champions League should not be a question, as his place is up for grabs with Nawaf Al-Abed now shifted to the bench.
Osama Hawsawi: Al-Hilal finally grabbed their high profile defender after the departure of Kwak and Digao when they signed Osama Hawsawi at the start of the 2016/17 season. They’ll be hoping he can be the key for success.
Abdulla Otayf: The metronome has not got as many games as he has liked but unlike Abdulmalik Al-Khaibary, he has proven that he is capable of playing with the ball under pressure and building attacks from deep.

New arrivals:

Omar Khribin: Syrian forward Omar Khribin joined Al-Hilal on loan from Al-Dhafra and has already hit the ground running, scoring 2 in 4 games and exciting Al-Hilal fans with his workmanlike performances.

Current League Position: 1^st (Saudi Pro League)

Their story this season: Whether Al-Hilal could finally win the league title after some time was questionable during Gustavo Matossas’ time at the club, but one thing he did get them before his sacking was points. Ramon Diaz has built upon that and continued flying high, even beating the Champions Al-Ahli at their home stadium.

What do fans expect? With Al-Hilal, there is no expectation. A Champions League win is a must.

Al-Wahda

Manager profile: Javier Aguirre led Al-Wahda to a successful first season, winning the Arabian Gulf Cup and finishing 3^rd in the league. However, second season syndrome may have caught up to him.

Tactical set-up: Al-Wahda are one of the only teams in the UAE Arabian Gulf League that like to press from the front. They use a 4-2-3-1 formation with Balasz Dszudszak cutting in from the left and Ismael Matar playing behind the striker in place of the absent Valdivia.

Key players:

Sebastian Tagliabue: The striker is a monster on the pitch with his unconventional style of play. Will his local exploits be converted to playing against Asia’s best?
Balazs Dszudszak: After a rocky start, “Jaujaak” (as he is called in Arabic) has become one of Al-Wahda’s most important players thanks to his creative abilities.
Rashed Ali: Signed from Al-Wasl over the winter break, the best Emirati goalkeeper this season is keen to show his talents on the continental level.

Current League Position: 5^th (UAE Arabian Gulf League)

Their story this season: Al-Wahda have been average in the league this season, sitting in 5^th place with a very low points total; sitting far behind the top 4. However, they have reached the semi-final of the UAE President’s Cup which is a possible ticket to the ACL 2018 should they win it.

What do fans expect? Fans have vividly remembered their fairytale run to the semi-finals in 2007, but whether they can repeat that this year is a matter of experience. Al-Ahli Dubai did it under similar circumstances in 2015, but with the super coach Cosmin Olaroiu.

PREVIEW: 2016 ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

Hamoudi — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 10:36:00 +0000

Al-Ain of United Arab Emirates represent West Asia in the 2016 AFC Champions League Final against South Korea’s Jeonbuk. Hamoudi Fayad gives you the lowdown on Al-Ain’s road to the final and what to expect ahead of the match.

Club Introduction

The ‘Zaeem’ (boss) of Emirati football, Al-Ain, is the most successful club in Emirati football; the only club in the country to don ‘2 stars’ on their t-shirt due to the new UAEFA rule which states that Emirati sides must wear a star for every 5 league titles they win. Their unique colour of purple stands out and strengthens their identity as a special club. Their fans are also called “half of the population” from how (relatively) big they are.

Al-Ain are currently in the final for the first time since they lost to Saudi side Al-Ittihad in 2005 while they seek a second title win after they beat BEC Tero Sasana in 2002 thanks to likes of Mohammad Omar and Farhad Majidi. The dream has returned for “half of the population”.

The irony is that Al-Ain have reached this stage with a manager who has separated opinion like never before: Zlatko Dalic. None of Walter Zenga, Tite, Cosmin Olaroiu, Jorge Fossati or Quique Flores were able to steer Al-Ain to AFC Champions League glory. Dalic, meanwhile, has led Al-Ain to a semi-final (2014) and final (2016) in the space of 3 years. For all the work Dalic has done, he is very much underappreciated and was saved from his job during the summer thanks to an emergency sacking of the then-current board!

Key Player(s)

Omar Abdulrahman: Does this really need any justification? The Emirati maestro – who has recently become extremely important to club and country by playing as a roaming playmaker – just doesn’t stop and has recently developed his goalscoring, mainly from free-kicks. Many are wondering whether this will be the final stop for Amoory before he moves to Europe, as it is the only title he hasn’t won yet.

Lee Myung-Joo: Many people underestimate the exploits of Lee Myung-Joo in central midfield, his positional ability is unmatched in the nation and his South Korean mentality brought a lot more to the Al-Ain midfield than any other South American did in recent years. A general pattern emerges with South Korean footballers in the UAE; all of them are hard-working. Lee leads this pack of players.

For a preview of Jeonbuk, go ahead and read The Tavern’s excellent preview on the South Korean side here

Khaled Eisa: The goalkeeper, nicknamed “the voracious lion”, could easily see himself in the top 3 bracket of UAE players in 2016 after Omar Abdulrahman and Ali Mabkhout. The best goalkeeper in the country in terms of ball-playing ability, Eisa’s magnificent reflexes and diving abilities allow him to play in goal with complete confidence.

Road to the Final

Had you asked me if Al-Ain were going to make the second round of this year’s Asian Champions League two games in, I would have laughed. Two consecutive losses to a mediocre El-Jaish side saw them looking at their coming games with Al-Ahli Jeddah as do or die. Which, thanks to Amoory, became “do”. Al-Ain followed up a disastrous start with two wins against Al-Ahli, leaving them on 6 points before meeting Nasaf Qarshi. A draw in Qarshi meant a win was the only way they could confirm qualification status to the round of 16: and win they did. A goal from each of Danillo Asprilla and Ismail Ahmed helped them cruise to the next round despite Al-Ahli Jeddah’s thrashing of El-Jaish in Qatar.

Al-Ain were met with a fairly intermediate test in Zob Ahan in the next round. However, the start of the match indicated the Iranian side’s grit and resilience which saw them hold out a 1-1 draw in Al-Ain. The ‘Zaeem’ and its fans were left scared; partially because of the scoreline but more so from what they believe is Dalic’s incompetence. Yet again, after drawing 1-1 in the first game Al-Ain would snatch the all important win with a 2-0 scoreline.

Another Uzbek side would meet the ‘Zaeem’ but this time in the form of Lokomotiv Tashkent who were no pushovers. A fantastic defensive performance in Al-Ain shut out the likes of Douglas, Danillo Asprilla and Omar Abdulrahman. Surprisingly, Lokomotiv looked lackluster in Tashkent and succumbed to a 1-0 loss thanks to new signing Caio Fernandes’ brilliant run. Al-Ain were slowly getting back into form.

On the other side was UAE outfit Al-Nasr. They had beaten El-Jaish 3-0 away from home but the game was overturned 3-0 in favour of El-Jaish because of Al-Nasr striker Wanderley’s fake Indonesian passport. Dreams of an all-UAE semi-final were dashed as Al-Nasr failed to catch up with the 3-0 deficit in the second leg.

Yet the same vigour remained for Al-Ain. They would now face El-Jaish, the team who rooted them to the bottom of the group at the start of the 2016 campaign. Moreover, Al-Ain were “doing a favour” for their fellow UAE side Al-Nasr. The result? Complete dominance in the first leg, where they won 3-1 and a great second-half battle in the second where they drew 2-2 thanks to brothers Omar and Mohammad Abdulrahman.

Tactical Approach

Al-Ain often play with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Omar Abdulrahman behind the striker or on the right hand side. Douglas is the main striker and Caio takes up the left hand side but it is Danillo Asprilla’s role that is the most tactically interesting with his pace and flair proving vital to the side on many occasions.

Amer Abdulrahman and Lee Myung-Joo protect the centre of the pitch and help the side progress in the build-up play. Meanwhile an interesting application of the “inverted full back” the Pep Guardiola oh so loves has been done on a consistent basis ever since the end of last season with the right back: Mohammad Ahmed or Fawzi Fayez.

I spoke previously of Omar Abdulrahman’s roaming playmaker role. Despite being stationed in attacking midfield, Amoory has a tendency to drop near the defenders and send magnificent long passes over the top for Douglas to hold up or Asprilla to run onto. Many have disliked this move because it prevents Amoory from excelling in the middle and final third, but it has been successful up until now.

Meanwhile in the defensive phase, Al-Ain are quite passive as Dalic likes to keep the side more compact. The only issue is the players in the system as they fail to keep the spaces between the lines as small as possible and opponents can usually find joy by playing on either flank to exploit the space left by the winger.

WCQ2018 Asia: 6 Talking Points from the Middle East

Hamoudi — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:38:41 +0000

QATAR: Late capitulation deals double blow to their hopes of making 1st WC before 2022

Over the course of the two matches Qatar failed to really make their mark on the WCQ and worse, capitulated in the later stages of both games to come out of the first two matchdays with a grand total of 0 points. Sebastian Soria, Amine Lecomte and Rodrigo Tabata have all failed to do something of note for their adopted nation and even when it is 0-0 Qatar play as if they are losing, with a lack of chances created and respecting the opposition just a tad too much. Dreams of WC 2018 are slowly running away…

UAE: Brought back down to earth against Australia

It wasn’t a bad performance, but the humidity did play a role in the partial snoozefest in Abu Dhabi. We at Ahdaaf just feel that the UAE took an extra step in confidence against Australia and played with the same system against Japan – which wasn’t entirely successful in fact. Mahdi Ali’s selections have sometimes left fans baffled and poor performances from key players Ali Mabkhout and Amer Abdurlahman have not helped in any sense.

SAUDI ARABIA: Is this run sustainable?

3 penalties, 3 goals, 2 wins, 6 points. Saudi Arabia have beaten Thailand and Iraq with just penalties, both of whom are considered the weakest teams in the group on paper. Saudi are group toppers for now, but their poor performances indicate that they really don’t stand a chance against Japan, the UAE and Australia. They’ve lacked ideas in building play and for the most part of the first half against Iraq struggled to reach the opposition goal, which led fans to tweet “we don’t even want to reach the bloody World Cup, let us reach Iraq’s goal first before that!”

IRAN: Two soulless performances, but 4 points from two difficult games indicates they’re on the right track.

On the bigger picture, Iran has started their World Cup qualification campaign well with a 2-0 win at home against Qatar, and a 0-0 draw in a tough game away from home in China. But once the details come into it, it’s been a below par showing from the Iranians. A disappointing performance against Qatar at home, where there was no rhythm in the team and a lack of buildup play, they needed a mistake from the Qatari keeper in 93rd minute to get the breakthrough. It was a similar lacklustre performance against the Chinese. A hopeless 0-0 draw with barely any clear cut chances created. Questions have been raised and Queiroz will have to improve his team’s overall performance when they meet tougher opponents in Uzbekistan and South Korea in October.

SYRIA: Looking to be a thorn in oppositions’ side

Realistically, Syria are not looking to qualify for the World Cup. Sure, they’re looking to face teams one by one in what will be a series of finals. But the lack of facilities and organisation plus the presence of an actual manager will hinder their progress. Yet, when has that ever played a large role in football? Syria did manage to hold on for a good 75 minutes against Uzbekistan, but an Aleksandr Geynrikh goal proved too much. A draw “at home” against South Korea followed and that came with the taste of a win and congratulations from many in Asian football.

IRAQ: Two defeats, no points. What now? Back to Younis and Co. or to rebuild?

Iraq were left shell-shocked by the manner in which they lost at the Shah Alam stadium to Saudi Arabia. Their demanding fans and media blamed defeat solely on the Qatari referee however their coach Radhi Shanaishel – under-pressure after just two matches – insisted individual mistakes and not referee Khamis Al-Marri, had cost them. “I believe the game was in our own hands and we handed it to the Saudi team,” the Iraqi coach told the press after the game. Iraq’s second defeat in six days after an opening loss to Australia in Perth leaves them joint-bottom of Group B, with coach Radhi Shanaishel in a perilous position.

RESULTS AND STANDINGS:

PRESS TALK: August 31, 2016

Hamoudi — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 16:52:23 +0000

Press Talk is back with international football this time. Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Qatar, Iran, Syria and Iraq are all of the Middle Eastern Nations participating in the Third Round of the World Cup 2018 (AFC) Qualifiers. What are the media around the region saying ahead of the matches?

Reminder:

Qatar travel to Tehran to face Iran, while Uzbekistan meet the relatively unknown prospect of Syria. Iraq and the UAE face tough nations in Australia and Japan respectively, meanwhile Saudi Arabia have the easiest opponent in Thailand.

QATAR: We are ready [for Iran]

A tough match for Qatar, but the players are more than confident in getting the 3 points in Tehran. Expectations are relatively high after a near-perfect second round qualification but it’s very premature to claim that a win against Iran between their fans will be an easy feat. Qatar will have to be at their absolute best to gain a point, but Qatar’s level against the bigger sides has been a bit of a wildcard since the 2015 Asian Cup.

CARLOS QUEIROZ, IRAN: Qatar’s efforts should be appreciated

Queiroz has said “Qatar have brought the World Cup to Asia so their efforts should be appreciated. Not only do they deserve our respect, but their investments and works off the pitch to bring WC to Asia should be appreciated”.

Meanwhile Andranik Teymourian in his press conference asked the fans to come to the game tomorrow, especially because the game is free for public to attend. From the outset this already seems like Iran have taken a much more respectful approach against Qatar, where everyone are looking for 3 simple points. Surely this game will be good, but tough for both sides.

AHMED KHALIL, UAE: We came to win

The UAE’s “win” against Japan at the Asian Cup in 2015 will go down as one of the greatest nights in Emirati football history. Holding out until penalties was no mean feat but the team are expected to do so again. Japan are no longer under now-UAE Pro League’s Al-Wahda manager Javier Aguirre, but the man behind Algeria’s successful run at the 2014 World Cup: Vahid Halilhodzic. Especially after the UAE’s up and down performance levels with Mahdi Ali recently, one will wonder if the UAE can engineer a challenge on Japan soil or crumble under the pressure.

SYRIA: Yes, we can

It has been quite a shock to see Syria here, in this round. They are aiming for a play-off spot and the fans from all around the world are with them. They’ve gone out with the English saying of “Yes, we can”. Still without arguably the best striker in the Middle East Omar Al-Soma, the Syrians have now forgotten about the player and are firm believers in the team they have and will support them “Qalban wa qaliban”, as the saying goes in Arabic.

YEHIA AL-SHEHRI, SAUDI ARABIA: Our aim is 3 points

Saudi Arabia have the easiest opposition out of the Middle Eastern teams, it goes without saying. Their record against Thailand is also pretty good over the years and at home they are expected to take 3 points if they want to repeat the feats of 1994, 2002 and 2006 in qualifying for the World Cup. They’ve got the best opposition they could ask for and any points dropped will result in alarm bells around Saudi football.

IRAQ: “MEDIA SILENCE” FOR PLAYERS

Ahead of their match against Australia, Radhi Shnaishel has forbidden the players to speak to the media. This is in a bid to keep the players focused on the technical and tactical aspects for the match rather than spend time fighting over unnecessary matters. Iraq qualified for this round after initially struggling but will want to do their usual thing in surprising the rest of the nations left in the qualifying rounds. Can Shnaishel engineer a shock start to their campaign as he did with their fascinating Asian Cup run in 2015?

REPORT: EL-JAISH 0-3 AL-NASR

Jilbin George — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 09:36:15 +0000

A brisk match of equal talent was fielded by both teams today at the Al Lekwiya Stadium. Coach Lamouchi was surely missing Hamadallah who was out of action due to an injury picked up during the off season break, the player was one of the top scoring QSL players of the 2015/16 season.

A quite sizable number of Al-Nasr’s fan’s took the ride across to the outskirts of Doha to watch today’s match.

El-Jaish hopes were put on Rahsidov & Romarinho to carry forward El-Jaish ACL qualification chances. Coach Lamouchi included the former Barcelona player Seydou Keita who is on loan to replace the injured Hamdallah. Former Al Sadd player Hamza was also seen in the starting lineup for today’s match.

The first 10 minutes saw a brisk action of potshots taken on the goal or attempts miscued off. An attempt by Rahsidov at 21st minute was deflected by the Al-Nasr custodian safely to the defense.

The first half saw a yellow card for El-Jaish Mendes for an intentioanl tackle on the Al-Nasr forward, leading to free kick. The ensuing free kick was saved by the El-Jaish custodian Khalifa Ababacar. Al-Nasr Ahmed Al Yassi got a yellow card for an unintentional hand, which didn’t look quite either in the replays.

Referee Iida Jumpei (Japan) had a hard time to calm the tempers both the team players as the match went to the water break time.

An attempt of Abdul Magid’s full length shot at the 35th minute went past the right topside of the Al-Nasr’s goalpost. Another of Al-Nasr’s attempt Abdelaziz Barrada 39th minute header was also flying far from the post.

Just before the first half was over the at the 44th minute, Al-Nasr forward Jonathan (11) took control of a superb pass & calmly passing it to Santos Wanderley (9). The El-Jaish defense was caught off guard in this regard with the Al-Nasr’s forwards exposing the El-Jaish’s custodian.

Another attempt by El-Jaish in the dying minutes of the first half by Romarinho went over the bar after a swift pass from Rashidov.

El-Jaish began the 2nd half by introducing the former Barcelona player Keita substituting Ahmad Moein.

A superb pass by Rashidov just missed the edge of Romarinho’s extra leg push, Al-Nasr’s defence were heaving a sign of immediate relief. El-Jaish kept up the pressure on after this with a series of pot shots on the Al-Nasr goalpost.

Frustration was piling on the El-Jaish with Ali Sanad (21) getting booked for another foul.

Another attempt from Jonathan Pritorita (11) supported by a assist from Tariq (5)(C) with a sublime running finish to the back of the left side of the El-Jaish net doubled Al Nasr’s away lead.

Immediately after the restart, El-Jaish Player Magid (12) was booked for an intentional foul.

Rashidov’s attempt at the 73rd minute didn’t quite find the range too. Al-Nasr’s Jonthan’s substitution was given a clapping ovation, their fans knew that the value of his goals scored & assist’s in todays match.

Al-Nasr’s tripled their away lead at the 84th minute with another goal by Santos Wanderley (9) his second for today’s match.

El-Jaish kept up the pressure on the Al-Nasr’s up till the end with Rashidov & Romarinho making several attempt on the goal in the dying minutes.

At the post match press conference Coach Ivan Jovanovic (Al-Nasr) was extremely happy with the results of this match. He commented on the chances that El-Jaish had for this match, but pointed the difference in the match was the timing of Al-Nasr’s goals. He lamented that the weather was a factor, however Al-Nasr kept up the pace in this regard. He also pointed Al-Nasr had a small advantage & would be keep the same match performance in the return leg too. On the comparison for Ivan’s previous European league & Asian league, he mentioned that the uncertainties of having pre-season break keeps the pressure on these games. To the comment of Santos Wanderley’s performance, Coach Ivan mentioned that he wanted to see this as a total team performance rather than an individual performance.

Coach Lamouchi lamented that he was disappointed with today’s performance especially in the 2nd half & passing of the ball. He kept up his desire to play with a positive attitude in the return leg.To the question of Hamadallah’s absence, he accepted that it did make a huge difference & commented the situation is bound warranted a solution especially for the mid-field & Mendes would be sitting out in the next game.

The next leg which will be in Dubai would require a lot of effort’s from El-Jaish to cover the lead & Al-Nasr expecting to finish it off in style to seal their semi-final berth too.

PRESS TALK: AUGUST 25, 2016

Hamoudi — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 08:07:42 +0000

Press talk is back. Let’s take a look around the Middle East and what the press had to say regarding the results from the first leg of the Asian Champions League in West Asia. UAE side Al-Nasr thrashed El-Jaish in their home, Qatar, with a 3-0 scoreline. In the other encounter, this time in the UAE, Al-Ain failed to score any goals against a well-oiled Lokomotiv Tashkent side.

“THREE GOALS THAT DESERVE ACCLAMATION” – Al-Khaleej, UAE

They said: Al-Nasr were dazzling in their dominant performance against El-Jaish, with thanks going to new striker Wanderley who scored a brace on his debut with the Blues. “Al-Ameed” will be waiting until September to confirm their qualification, which they all but did themselves with three away goals to nil in Qatar.

We say: Al-Nasr were superb, with El-Jaish looking anything but convincing bar a few moments of excellence from Sardor Rashidov and Romarinho. Seydou Keita started off well after his entrance in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to threaten Al-Nasr who bounced back via Jonathan Pitroipa to score the second and subsequently the third.

“AL-AIN MESS UP HOME LEG AND HAVE IT ALL TO DO AWAY FROM HOME” – Al-Khaleej, UAE

They said: Al-Ain drew 0-0 with Uzbek side Lokomotiv Taskhent in the home leg of their encounter in the Asian Champions League. Despite the lack of goals, chances were produced from both sides but both defensive line-ups proved too good. For the most part, Al-Ain took control of proceedings in the first half and continued to do so in the second half. However, many chances were wasted.

We say: Al-Ain were probably the better side on the ball but they didn’t look threatening enough to look favourites for the game. Moreover, they face a side who know how to limit the strength of their opposition. In the Round of 16, Lokomotiv used the same tactic to nullify Al-Hilal in Riyadh and successfully eliminate the “Zaeem” (Boss) of Saudi Arabia in Uzbekistan. Will they be able to do the same to the “Zaeem” of the UAE? If Zlatko Dalic doesn’t change something, that will be likely.

“RESOUNDING COLLAPSE” – Al-Arab, Qatar

They said: A shocking and resounding collapse against Al-Nasr left Sabri Lamouchi and co. dumbfounded, with Lamouchi stating that “I don’t know what happened, why this happened.”

We say: El-Jaish need to re-watch Tractor Sazi’s near-completion of a comeback against Al-Nasr in Tabriz to find any way of scoring three goals in the away leg. El-Jaish were shocking, but Lamouchi has a few weeks time to sort things out.

PREVIEW: EL-JAISH VS. AL-NASR | #ACL2016

Ahdaaf ME — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 08:29:12 +0000

Al-Nasr, UAE

Manager: Ivan Jovanovic

Current form (Asian Champions League): L-W-W-D-D-D-W-L

Summer 2016 Transfers:

Al-Nasr have strengthened two key positions over the summer, with Brazilian (Indonesian) striker Wanderley replacing the inefficient Nilmar up front and local powerhouse Fawaz Awana entering the fray at the Dubai-based club. The signing of Abdelaziz Barrada has also been one of intent with the former OM player expected to lead Al-Nasr all the way to the Asian Champions League title.

Foreign quota:

Top Row, L-R: Jires Kembo-Ekoko, Jonathan Pitroipa
Bottom Row: Wanderley, Abdelaziz Barrada

Road to the quarter-final:

Al-Nasr started off with a disaster. Everyone was expecting a repeat of their disappointing performances after two Chimba goals in Isfahan sent the Blues home with no points. However, the return match saw Al-Nasr return the favour with a 2-0 win of their own against Sepahan.

They went on to win a match against all odds, with less than a thousand of their supporters present in Saudi Arabia to watch their encounter with Ittihad FC and their 38,000 fans. A well-oiled counter attacking performance led by the enigma himself, Nilmar, saw them defeat Ittihad with thanks to the Brazilian striker’s brace.

The next three matches were a bore. Two nil-nil draws and a hard-fought yet equal performance with Lokomotiv at home that ended 1-1 were enough to send Al-Nasr through to the next round, where they would face Tractor Sazi. Iranian-Saudi tensions continued to rise at this point and Emiratis were not too fond of Saudi’s enemy either, so the match would garner lots of attention.

A 4-1 thrashing of Tractor Sazi at home was followed by a heated press conference from Tractor manager Amir Gholanoei who claimed that the “pitch was like a hospital as the players were resting on the ground and wasting time like all Arab players do”. Al-Nasr then scored the first goal in the away leg in Tabriz, but conceded 3 goals in quick fashion and were on the verge of conceding an aggregate equaliser under the immense pressure led by the unforgiving Tractor Sazi fan base. But Jovanovic’s men held on and succeeded in making a historic appearance in the quarter-finals.

Key Players:

Amir Mubarak: The defensive midfielder is one of the most underrated players in UAE Football, with his ability to navigate his way through pressure and spray the ball out of defence a great attribute for Al-Nasr. Protecting the defence at all times, it has been quite a while since the Blues looked weak with Mubarak starting.

Mahmoud Khamis: The left-winger-cum-left-back is technically proficient and capable of scoring from set-pieces, including shots from range as he showed in the match against Tractor Sazi. He is the team’s captain and one of the more experienced players in the squad.

Wanderley: Expected to hit the ground running after a wonderful stint at Sharjah, Wanderley is the ideal striker to fill the void in attack. Technically and physically better than former striker Ibrahima Toure, but also taller and stronger than Nilmar, Wanderley is more than just one-dimensional and can prove decisive for Al-Nasr’s fortunes.

Expected line-up:

-Written by Hamoudi Fayad

El-Jaish, Qatar

Manager: Sabri Lamouchi

Current form (Asian Champions League): W-W-W-D-L-L-W-L

Summer 2016 Transfers:

After bettering their best Asian performance by reaching the quarterfinals, it was expected that El-Jaish would make a splash in the transfer market to try and go all the way. Although their plans were affected by the two-month long injury layoff to joint QSL top scorer Abdelrazak Hamdallah, El-Jaish have brought in a mixture of youth and experience to help their cause. The major signing of the summer transfer window has been Seydou Keita with the Malian set to take on a leadership role in a team that had been lacking in such personalities, ever since the departure of Anderson Martins and Wesam Rizk. El-Jaish have also signed Mohamed Abdelrab Al-Yazidi on loan from Al-Kharaitiyat; the midfielder has prior experience in the AFC Champions League, having been part of the title winning Al-Sadd side in 2011. Dame Traore, the towering QSL winning defender and Qatari international, has also arrived at the club, on loan from rivals Lekhwiya. Another loanee who may turn out to be a crucial signing is the 22-year old attacker Hamza Al-Sanhaji, who comes from Al-Sadd on a six-month long deal.

Foreign quota:

Seydou Keita, Lucas Mendes – Romarinho, Sardor Rashidov

Road to the quarter-final:

El-Jaish entered this season’s ACL through the back door, having had to defeat Iranian side Naft Tehran to qualify for the group stages. Naft had knocked El-Jaish out at the same stage in 2015 but this time around, the Qataris took revenge with goals from Hamdallah and Romarinho seeing them through.

The opening group game saw El-Jaish travel to Emirati giants and former Asian champions Al-Ain. In a surprising turn of events, Hamdallah inspired El-Jaish to coast to a 2-0 lead at halftime, scoring one and setting up Romarinho for the other. The Armymen held on to register an opening day despite the attempted comeback from Al-Ain, who had Dyanfres Douglas score a penalty and miss another.

Exactly a week later, El-Jaish completed a remarkable double over Al-Ain by beating them in Doha by the same 2-1 scoreline. Hamdallah was once again impressive, getting a goal and an assist each.

The impressive run of form continued on Matchday 3 as Uzbek striker Sardor Rashidov latched on to a through ball from 2014 Asian Young Player of the Year Ahmed Moein to score a late goal against Nasaf Qarshi to take home a further three points. The result meant that El-Jaish sat on top of Group D with a 100% record and a six-point lead.

Matchday 4 saw El-Jaish wrap up qualification for the last 16 with a point from a goalless draw in Qarshi.

Having secured a berth in the next round, El-Jaish seemingly took their feet off the gas in the remaining two group games. But despite being thrashed 1-4 at home and 0-2 away by Al-Ahli, El-Jaish had done enough to go through as winners of Group D courtesy of a better head-to-head record with Al-Ain.

Injuries / Suspensions

Abdelrazak Hamdallah – a huge miss for the Qatari side.

Key Players:

Seydou Keita: This double UEFA Champions League winner has years of top-level experience under his belt and needs no further introduction. Instead of replacing the injured Hamdallah with another foreign striker, El-Jaish went for Keita to add solidity to a midfield that has missed a tough tackling physical presence. The match against Al-Nasr will be Keita’s debut outing with the team and he needs to hit it off and get in sync with the rest of the team if El-Jaish are to benefit from him.

Romarinho: In the absence of Hamdallah, scoring responsibilities will undoubtedly fall on the shoulders of Romarinho, who has been nothing short of impressive in recent seasons for El-Jaish, with 24 goals in 38 matches. Capable of playing as a playmaker, a second striker or on either wing, Romarinho has shown his prowess in ACL 2016 with 4 goals and 2 assists so far. The question now is whether he can step up and fill the shoes of sharpshooting Moroccan partner.

Sardor Rashidov: 2015/16 was Rashidov’s first season with El-Jaish, and the Uzbek delivered nine goals from the left wing as the Armymen finished runners-up in the league and went on to lift the Qatar Cup. But it wasn’t just in scoring that Rashidov shone. Intelligent play, coupled with his dribbling and passing abilities saw him become a feared component of the R-H-R triumvirate (alongside Romarinho and Hamdallah).

Expected line-up:

-Written by Ahmed Hashim

PREVIEW: AL-AIN VS. LOKOMOTIV | #ACL2016

Hamoudi — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 08:41:55 +0000

Al-Ain come into the Lokomotiv match after a poor end to the season domestically. Their failure in grasping one of the league title, league cup or President’s Cup left them with an empty-handed season as rivals Al-Ahli, Al-Wahda and Al-Jazira all celebrated with honours. Since then, after Zlatko Dalic was expected to be fired and sign for Al-Taawon, an ad featuring Al-Ain players deemed disrespectful to the UAE National Anthem saw an immediate change in the board of directors and surprisingly, Dalic was offered an extension. Fans have now – instead of complaining – announced their full support for the Croatian ahead of a make or break period.

What Zlatko Dalic said of the match: “I’ve had 10 days with my team. It’s not enough, but I believe in them.”

Current form (Asian Champions League): L-L-W-W-D-W-D-W

Summer 2016 Transfers:

Al-Ain have gone all out to sign one of UAE’s finest in Amer Abdulrahman, who will be partnering Lee Myung-Joo in central midfield. Although doubts were raised as to the similar styles of play that both midfielders offer, no one is doubting the sheer talent and experience that Abdulrahman will bring. Al-Ain now have brothers Omar and Mohammad Abdulrahman alongside namesake Amer Abdulrahman.

Amer Abdulrahman and Caio Fernandes (Al-Bayan)

Caio Fernandes was brought in on the left wing after Ryan Babel’s disastrous half-season at Al-Ain. Al-Ain’s fans are generally impatient with foreigners and with Babel’s disaster comes more impatience. With the next 3 months crucial for any Champions League victory, fans are hoping Caio hits the ground running and performs in the said time frame.

Foreign quota:

Danillo Asprilla (Colombia) – Caio Fernandes (Brazil) – Dyanfres Douglas (Brazil) – Lee Myung-Joo (South Korea)

Al-Ain’s foreign quartet. Top row: Lee, Asprilla Bottom row: Douglas, Caio

Road to the quarter-final:

Al-Ain were all but out of the competition in gameweek 3. Two straight losses to Qatari outfit El-Jaish saw “Dalic out” responses coming out after Al-Ain were also on the verge of losing ground on their title chase with Al-Ahli domestically. They faced the best Saudi team, Al-Ahli, who would soon go onto becoming league champions. Al-Ain were not expected to take any points from their encounter in Saudi Arabia.

An Omar Abdulrahman (as usual) performance led Al-Ain to an unlikely victory in Jeddah, before his free-kick separated the sides during the return leg in Al-Ain helping The Boss to 6 points and back to normal operations. They drew with Uzbek side Nasaf Qarshi in gameweek 5, but Danillo Asprilla popped up to engineer a vital win and achieve qualification to the Round of 16 for the Emiratis.

Zob Ahan were not the hardest Iranian side at this point but they did certainly pose a threat. Lebanese right-back Ali Hamam put in the performance of his life to stop Al-Ain from taking the lead – including a double goal line clearance – but a 1-1 draw was all Zob Ahan could come out of in Al-Ain. The away goal wouldn’t prove important at all for the Iranians who failed to pose any threat of note at home like Tractor Sazi did. Al-Ain were victors and subsequently became the second Emirati side to represent the nation in the quarter-finals.

Key Players:

Omar Abdulrahman: The maestro just doesn’t stop. Improving on his set-piece deliveries over the last season has made him steal the limelight to a greater extent than usual. Yet unlike what many people think he’s not just an aesthetically pleasing player. His tactical role is largely overshadowed by his technical ability. He helps Al-Ain build play (although with Amer Abdulrahman that may no longer be necessary), combine on the flanks and evade players in tight spaces. There is no better player than Omar Abdulrahman in the region – even you, Omar Al-Somah.

Dyanfres Douglas: The striker leaves Al-Ain fans fighting against each other. Is he good, or is he not? Well, he’s a bit of both. His touch is appalling, although with the relative quality of the defenders in the local league it isn’t too much of a problem. He may struggle against the bigger clubs, but that’ll depend on the role Dalic plays him in. He’s most threatening when inside the box and with Amer and Omar Abdulrahman both building play for Al-Ain and support coming from Asprilla and Caio, Douglas needn’t worry about what is going on behind him.

Lee Myung-Joo: The South Korean market is wonderful. Even the mid-tier players in those leagues become a big part of the Emirati teams’ set-up. Their attitude is on point, they always listen to the manager and they are well-rounded, often multi-skilled players. Lee Myung-Joo is one of those guys. He’s positionally intelligent, great defensively and offers a different dimension in attack. He keeps everything well-connected, and fans love him.

Expected line-up:

Stats compiled by @TheLegendaryMoh on Lokomotiv, who are mid-way through their season unlike Al-Ain who will start their new season tomorrow:

The team has 9 international Uzbek players.
Lokomotiv are top of the Uzbek League with 49 points after 19 rounds
They are currently in the semi-final stage of the Uzbek Cup
Lokomotiv have scored 49 goals in 19 games; strongest attack in Uzbekistan.
They also possess the second best defence in the league with 14 goals conceded in 19 games.
Temurkhuja Abdulkholiqov is the top scorer of the Uzbek League with 16 goals (1 penalty).
In the last 5 league games, Lokomotiv have won 4 and drawn 1.
In 19 league games, Lokomotiv have not lost a match.